If I Could
by darkdarling
Summary: Kiryuu Touga is forced to choose his successor in the Seitokai to prepare for a new round of duels, but what can he do when she turns out to be every bit as amoral and manipulative as he once was? Is there no escape from the duels? Rating may change.
1. Movement One: A Trick of the Eyes, Chapt...

A/N: Hey, all. A few notes to start things off. First, this is the _expurgated_ version of If I Could. I don't know about you all, but I just can't think of a Touga story without at least a little sex—so I'm making a page where the full version will be found. I'll finish that as quickly as possible, but don't expect it for a while. Writing's more fun than webpages. :p 

As for the characters, yes, there are OC's, so if you don't like them, don't bother reading. I've done my best to make the OC's interesting and engaging characters, and my dear antareschan, who beta reads for me, tells me that I've succeeded. I hope you all will enjoy this story as much as I have, so without further ado…   
  
  
  
"It's been a while." 

"I was here last week." 

"Were you?"   
  
  
  
"Time seems so funny now. I don't remember you being here last week." 

"I was. Remember, we talked about the garden. You wanted me to bring you some roses." 

"I remember now. You were sad." 

"I'm fine." 

"Why are you always so sad?" 

"I'm not sad."   
  
  
  
"How are you?" 

"It hurts." 

"I know. I'm sorry." 

"You don't need to be sorry. I have what I wanted." 

"Is this really what you wanted?"   
  
  
  
"Please... talk to me."   
  
  
  
"Tell me, is it really what you wanted?"   
  
  
  
"If you want to leave, I'll take you out of here. I promise."   
  
  
  
"It isn't really what you wanted, is it. Please, come with me. I'll take you away. Anything you want. Anything." 

"You really were my prince."   
  
  
  
It's easy to have sympathy for a hero. Heroes are what everyone wants to be, even if it is only for a short moment. We'd like to think that we have the potential to be as bright, to be as noble, to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good. Some of us, however much we may wish that it were different, cannot be heroes. It is also easy to have sympathy for those who try to be heroic and fall short, because at least they try. The intent was there, even if it was too little too late. Villains, too, get a certain amount of sympathy, because they can be admirable in their aims even if they go about those aims the wrong way. Even if their goal is not admirable, they still garner empathy because of their determination. 

How do you sympathize with those who haven't chosen what they will be, hero or villain? How do you love someone who can turn on you, betray you, or cherish your most secret of secrets and keep it safe? 

Listen to me, and I will paint a picture with words of a sight that I came upon one day. If I had any talent with the brush, I might attempt to finish the painting that she started, but since I do not, you will have to imagine her with me. 

Kneeling in the hallway, almost at my feet, I saw a girl who appeared a few years younger than I was. I had seen her in the school before; no surprise, as she was quite popular, but this was the first time I had taken the time to study her. Curly hair framed her angular face, a face that was perhaps a shade too thin, her elegant hand reaching out for the small yellow tube of glue that was currently underneath my foot. I didn't see her eyes at first. When she turned them up to me, there was a calm, mocking look to them, as if she couldn't quite bring herself to care that I had caught the infamous prankster that had been plaguing Ohtori Academy. A small smile played about the corners of her full lips. 

We spoke. I don't remember exactly what was said—eight years is a long time to hold unimportant words in your head. I do remember that I took her chin in my hand at one point, turning her face up to mine, and I remember the shock of recognition that went through me as I saw beneath that scornful façade. I'm sure I hid it well; she did not seem to notice my turmoil. That was when I knew that the coming months would be far harder for me than expected. This girl would become important to me, and I had already lost much that was important to me in the duels. 

I couldn't allow any hint of the sudden kinship I felt to show through my cool exterior. Instead of being honest, as I so desired to do, I had attacked her with the suggestion that I might betray her secret. This set the tone for one of my greatest rivalries. This pale, pale girl in front of me, with her winning charm and her hunger for pleasure, watched me with eyes that were full of cynical amusement even when I held the advantage over her. I'm sure very few people saw that amusement, but to me it was clear. It was the same detached humor that I felt. There had been very few times in my life when I had lost that aloof humor, and they were invariably the times when I was completely honest, whether it was with myself or with someone else. 

I remember thinking that here was a kindred spirit, and then I cursed myself for the things I was going to do to her. 

Her name didn't suit her at all. Kohana. She was no one's little flower, no shrinking violet to be coddled and cared for. If she had been a flower, she would have been a rose that did not allow its blooms to be plucked without first wounding the person who would take them. There was such malice in her, spite and hatred that only grew with the passage of time, but there was softness to her that showed itself when she knew she had no pain to fear by it. Like me, she had come to expect that the people around her would only do their best to hurt her if she showed a weakness. Is that not why we create such airtight façades? To an outsider, we look as if we enjoy being the way we are, and in a way, I suppose we do. 

But, I stray from my purpose. It's impossible, I suppose, to truly describe someone you care for—I will never be able to see her as less than beautiful. Even now, after eight years, I still see a sixteen year old girl. Sometimes I wonder if that will ever change. 

I still visit her every week. Ohtori will never let me escape from its thorny clutches. Don't mistake my intent—I did not love Kohana. I would never inflict such pain upon myself, and my heart had already been stolen by someone else, someone whose name I can't remember even now. She is a half-remembered melancholy, a night when I can't stand the thought of company other than my cats and a bottle of wine to drink to what little memory I have of her. 

Still, sometimes I wonder… If I could have loved anyone else, I think it would have been Kohana. And I thought, for a while, that she might have felt the same. 

It doesn't matter now. Even if I had loved her, it would have ended badly.   
  
  
  
Kohana walked between the columns to the Academy building, responding languidly to the cries of adulation from the groups of students that flanked the path. She was used to it by now, the popularity, but it didn't really matter. Nothing really did, except the next distraction; traveling, the occasional foray into the modeling world, the shopping sprees in expensive stores, they were all a means to an end. Even pranking the teachers and other authority figures in her life was just another distraction. Hence the popularity. The other students provided some relief from boredom with their adoration of her glamorous lifestyle and their easily swayed opinions. Meaningless, unless they entertained her, and she was not in the mood to be entertained. 

She supposed, once again, that they thought her life was a fairy-tale. They didn't know that it could never be as enjoyable as they thought it was. At fifteen she was already as jaded and cynical as any adult-- definitely not the gilded social butterfly they so loved to admire. 

But knowing that wouldn't make her any less what she was, or more what they took her for. Better to consider only the next distraction and forget about the rest. After all, she was only fifteen, her parents were rich and willing to do whatever it would take to keep her out of their hair, and she was the undisputed queen of the tenth grade. Surprising, some had said, that she wasn't on the Student Council. 

As if she could bring herself to waste her time on school duties any more than she already did. 

Another group called out to her, and again she raised a hand in an indifferent wave. It was only the polite thing to do, after all, and polite gestures were the glue of society. The thing that kept people from tearing each other apart. Someone made her way over, meaning to walk with her, and she neither shook her head nor nodded. They could stay or go as they pleased. 

"Kohana, where have you been? I've been looking for you all day!" 

Hisan Sakura, then. One of the few who could be called Kohana's friends. "I've been at the doctor's, Sakura. Another appointment." 

"Again? It seems like if you're not missing school for being sick, you're missing school to go to the doctor! Honestly, I don't know how you stand it. Are your parents really that over-protective that they'd make you miss school because of some weird hypochondriac ideas?" 

"Hypochondria is when _you_ think you're always sick, Sakura. And yes, I've told you a million times, I only go because they make me." Sakura was a nice girl, and she didn't really deserve to be lied to like this, but it wasn't really a lie. If it had been anything else, Kohana wouldn't have gone to the doctors. They always said the same thing anyway.   
  
  
  
Later on in the day, Kohana finally finished pasting sticky notes on the outside of the Literature professor's door. The hallway was, thankfully, deserted. It was an essay she was rather proud of, and Watanabe had a good sense of humor. He would grade it based on its soundness rather than its interesting presentation. He wouldn't dock marks because of a little thing like an essay being on 143 sticky notes instead of normal sheets of paper. 

The thought of his face when he saw all of the notes made her chuckle, a bit, anyway. 

_Much better. And for my next performance..._

Checking the tiny pocket she'd sewn into the hideous teal school uniform, she found that her crazy-glue had, suddenly and without warning, gone missing. Damn! She didn't have any others here right now, and that annoying guidance counselor was next on her list for the day. After last week's session, she deserved a little payback, and putting it off might mean it would never get done. 

Ignoring the footsteps that she heard echoing down the hallway, she glanced around, searching for the tiny yellow tube in case she'd dropped it recently. Ah, yes, there it was! Right by the corner where the footsteps were coming from. She'd have to be quick. 

Darting down the tiled hall, she dropped to one knee and grabbed at the tube just as the footsteps neared. Too late! A foot came down on the tube just as her searching fingers skidded toward it. 

"The infamous prankster, caught in the act? I thought I would never see the day." The voice was deep, purring, and entirely too rich to belong to anyone ordinary. Glancing up, Kohana first saw the snowy uniform reserved for the members of the student council and then the lustrous red hair that reached down to the figure's waist. 

"Kiryuu-sempai. I have no idea what you mean. I'm only picking up something I saw Watanabe-sensei drop." Kohana's stomach clenched in an agony of nervous enjoyment. 

_If I'd known that getting caught was better than the pranks, I might have done this a long time ago!_

He chuckled at this, a throaty laugh, and the little worry lines that no one else seemed to notice disappeared. "You know very well what I mean." He leaned down and took her chin in his hand, turning her face up even more. "But you don't have to worry. Tell me what to watch for. Even if you don't, the fact that I saw you with crazy-glue in your hand just before it happened will remain our little secret." The last words were said softly, almost caressingly, and Kohana wondered if he even knew how much his charming act affected her. Probably he didn't... but only because she had quite a bit of self-control. If she hadn't, the feel of his fingers on her chin and the faint sharpness of the long fingernails that brushed her skin so lightly would have made her blush. 

"Take your foot off, and I'll tell you." There was only one way to come out of this dispute with her skin whole, and that was to give in to what he wanted. It didn't matter. She could still win a tiny victory. 

He removed his foot instantly, and she silently congratulated herself for winning even that small battle. Glancing up at Kiryuu, however, dispersed the small amount of self-satisfaction she'd felt. It didn't matter to him that she was the victor, it only mattered that he knew he had power over her now. 

_So he doesn't care about the small victories—just the larger ones._

Biting back her impulse to snarl something cruel at him, she said, "The guidance counselor." The glue was secreted away, palmed and apparently tucked into the waistband of her skirt before she stood up and brushed off her clothes. Her curiosity had reared its head, but without a word, she turned and walked away. 

Surprisingly enough, he began to walk alongside her. Why was he even noticing her, when he hadn't for the whole nine grades before this? Not that she wanted or needed his notice, just that she would have taken an oath that he didn't know of her existence. 

"I've always thought you would be a good addition to the Student Council, Kohana. Perhaps you might bring to it an element of vitality that is currently lacking." He said it emotionlessly, as if he didn't care whether she joined or not. So that was how it was. The only personal interest he had was to see if she would sleep with him or not, and other than that, it was all business. Her mental estimation of him went up a few notches. 

"I don't think so, Kiryuu-sempai. I'm not interested in what promises to be another dull school activity." That and she didn't think there was any way she could possibly bring 'vitality' to anything. Outsiders would think differently, of course. 

He laughed softly. "Don't discard the idea on that basis. It's not as dull as you might think, and you would have the Student Council's protection if a teacher ever should discover the nature of the most elusive prankster of the school." 

Glancing at the clock, she realized that he was going to make her late for her next class. She had to get rid of him quickly. "If you'll forgive my candor, Kiryuu-sempai, I have a question." 

"Of course. Anything for a lady." That little smile was incredibly sexy. On the basis of that alone, she'd definitely sleep with him, even if she hadn't known that he was experienced. Very experienced. But he was still wasting her time! 

"What makes the Student Council so interesting? Do you have drugs, or orgies, or is it just the thrill of having people sleep with you just because you're on it? I manage well enough without the last, and I can do without more meetings with teachers and more schoolwork to ignore. And besides, Kaoru's too young for me." 

Being rude was an art form. 

His eyes opened wider, and he began to laugh. If any other rich, purring laugh had ever sent shivers racing up and down her spine, Kohana didn't remember it. Everything about Kiryuu radiated sensuality. "Perhaps we should discuss this later," he finally said. "I'm sure you must be busy—" 

"So kind of you to notice," she interjected. 

"Come to the rose garden after classes. I promise you, it will be worth your while." He laid a hand on her shoulder, his fingers tightening meaningfully and his eyes making more intimate promises. 

"Even if I refuse?" she asked, finally allowing herself the luxury of a smile. A few moments of bliss in another's arms... always a good idea. 

"Even if you refuse." His grip tightened once more, and then he turned away, walking down another hallway. 

Class was about to start. Math. Not that math would matter much to her in the long run. She sped up her pace, reflecting that she would probably spend the rest of the day looking forward to her prank and her little rendezvous.   
  
  
  
The inexplicable gluing of the guidance counselor to her chair did not go unnoticed by the school populace, and an announcement was made that the prankster would be expelled if caught. If the unknown trickster turned themselves in, however, they would only be suspended. Kohana had to laugh at the sight of the annoying woman screeching orders at students while wheeling herself down to the teachers' lounge where she had an extra change of clothes. 

Kiryuu caught her eye as the woman disappeared into the lounge, giving her a tiny, seductive, conspiratorial smile before turning away. As if they were partners in crime. She almost became angry about that; he'd had nothing to do with that prank besides letting his knowledge of the prankster remain a secret. But it didn't matter much. She'd meet him in the rose garden, which she'd never been in before, they'd talk a bit and she'd refuse to join the Council, and then with business out of the way, they'd retire to someplace less open and the real reason she'd agreed to meet him would commence. After, she'd go home and hope she didn't have another migraine before she could finish the essay she was writing for history. She was actually having fun with this one, a dissertation on why the fall of the Roman Empire was caused by a lack of capable botanists. Total trash, but she'd done her research on it, and it made sense when one actually read the paper. 

She was still pondering the question of whether Constantine could have benefited from a botany course when she opened the door to the rose garden. The birdcage shape was unnerving, as was the young girl inside. Kiryuu Nanami, Kiryuu's younger sister. She was in the ninth grade, and she kept to herself and tended the roses. Kohana hadn't expected to see her here, not when she was basically meeting Kiryuu for sex. How annoying. 

"Has your brother been here yet?" she asked, wondering if Kiryuu Nanami would leave soon. 

"No," Nanami said, and then went on rather agreeably, "but I'm sure he'll be here soon, Hoshigawa-sempai." 

"I see. Thank you," She said, and then put her books and jacket on the small bench. Nanami was busily watering the roses at the far end of the garden. Kohana didn't want to go anywhere near her; the girl made her nervous, especially after the weird personality switch she'd undergone last year. Kiryuu Nanami had been vibrant, an up and coming prankster herself, and fiercely protective of her older brother. Everyone knew that, and Kohana had paid special attention to her because she showed such promise. Briefly Kohana wondered if she'd been given a lobotomy, but then dismissed the idea. Whatever her psychoses were, they were no trouble of Kohana's. 

As she waited, she fingered the petals of a rose that was so deep a purple it was almost black. Actually, it was black. Kohana had never seen a rose of that color before. She'd never thought one could exist. But apparently they did, because here they were. 

"Do you like it?" Nanami asked. Kohana had to control herself, or she would have been startled. The girl had come right up behind her without her noticing. 

"It's pretty. I didn't know there were black roses." 

"Roses come in many colors. In the West, black is the color of death and rebirth. Would you like one?" The girl smiled sunnily, her violet eyes narrowing in tranquil happiness. 

Biting the inside of her lip, where it wouldn't show, Kohana drove back the desire to shiver at the girl's strange words. Why in hell would she mention death and then ask if she wanted one? "No, but thank you. I like them where they are." 

"What a shame. I think black suits you, Hoshigawa-san." 

This encounter was growing a little too strange for Kohana's tastes. There was something about Kiryuu Nanami that didn't sit right with her, as if she had some way of knowing what was going on inside Kohana's mind. The very thought made her angry. Kohana wished for a moment that she had a volatile temper, because then she'd have the release of giving this little bitch a smack. Unfortunately she didn't. Instead, she walked over to her books and picked them up, slinging her jacket over her shoulder. "If your brother ever does stop by, tell him I'm not very patient. He'll have to speak to me another time." 

"Oh, I'm sure if you just wait a few moments he'll be here. He's usually very good about keeping his appointments with pretty girls." The same sunny, blank smile. Kiryuu Nanami pulled out the pruning shears and began to snip away at one of the bushes of black roses. 

"That's quite all right. I have other things to do, and—" 

"I see him now, Hoshigawa-sempai." Nanami gestured to the door with the shears. Indeed, Kiryuu was coming towards the rose garden, his usual flock of admirers conspicuously absent. 

"Thank you." Nodding to Nanami, Kohana had to bite at her lip again to dispel the eerie, hair-raising feeling that the girl's smile evoked. She quickly turned and walked to the door, opening it perhaps a little more forcefully than she usually would have. 

Kiryuu caught the door as it swung open and held it for her. "Ah, you're here—" 

"This school can be such a boring place after hours. Shall we go someplace else?" Smiling graciously, a hint of promise in her eyes to remind him of which part of their meeting she was looking forward to, she brushed past him and stopped a few feet down the walk. 

"Of course," he purred, and then called to his sister, "I'll see you at home, Nanami." His voice seemed a little sad, though Kohana couldn't reason why. Maybe he'd liked his sister better when she was chasing away all of his girlfriends. 

"Of course, Onii-sama," she said serenely. Kohana waited for a few moments, listening to the metallic snip of pruning shears until they were cut off by the sound of the door closing. 

As Kiryuu joined her, she asked, "Where shall we go?" 

"I know of a place with delicious teriyaki, if you're hungry." His tone suggested that he might be hungry, though not for food. But there was something off about it... Shaking away her uneasiness, she decided that it was because of Kiryuu's sister. The girl was disturbing. It was no wonder everything seemed a little off. 

Kohana turned her thoughts away from the strange girl, back to the little game she and Kiryuu were indulging in. It wouldn't be too much longer. "I don't have much of an appetite for teriyaki right now. Maybe someplace where I can get hot chocolate." 

With a bemused little smile, Kiryuu looked around at the bright late summer day. "It's warm for hot chocolate," he said teasingly. 

"I'm always cold. I need to turn to hot chocolate and other things to keep me warm." She smiled at him, glancing innocently at the jacket. They both knew that he would be keeping her warm, for a little while, anyway. 

"I know just the place," he said, smiling devilishly at her. "May I carry your books for you?" At her nod, he took them from her, and began to walk toward the students' parking lot. 

He had a car? She'd never really paid attention to who went to the parking lot. Walking suited her, and there had never been much reason to take notice of the people she occasionally saw when she was there. At least Sakura would be there at this time of day. Her boyfriend had a car, and Kohana decided that she would leave her books with him. She didn't want Kiryuu to carry them around all day, and she didn't really need to finish that paper anyway. 

Instead of the normal rations of 'Good afternoon, Kohana' and 'Hi, Kohana', there were muttered conversations and worshipful looks from her fans as she and Kiryuu made their way to the parking lot in silence. They weren't touching, quite, but he walked close enough to her that it spoke rather loudly of whatever small attachment they had. This earned her several jealous looks; she did not return them, preferring to walk on normally and let the jealous ones pass her by. 

Soon they were at the edge of the parking lot, and she was instantly spotted by Sakura. Sakura's hand rose, but both her intended greeting and the wave went limp when she saw Kiryuu walking alongside Kohana. How interesting. He had an effect on everyone, it seemed. Sakura had been going out with Ichida since the fourth grade; they were the Romeo and Juliet of their grade, destined to be together forever. 

Kohana tugged Kiryuu's sleeve and started walking in their direction. He followed without question or comment. As she neared them, she called out, "Ichida, can I leave my books with you?" 

"Skipping homework again..." His voice trailed off as soon as he looked up from the book he was flipping through. Ichida was a stereo buff; he was always spending money on his car stereo, whatever he didn't spend on Sakura. "Good afternoon, Seitokaicho." 

"Good afternoon, Seitokaicho," Sakura echoed. 

Kohana figured that she'd better at least make introductions. Manners were very important. "Kiryuu-sempai, this is Hisan Sakura and her boyfriend, Toyomatsu Ichida." 

"Good afternoon." He smiled at them, very much the immaculate prince. 

Kohana held out her hands for her books and he gave them to her with a warmer smile. She handed them to Sakura, and said, "Don't bother calling tonight. I'll call you when I get home." 

Sakura took them, and then, seeming to shake off her amazement, she said, "You're always in such a bad mood after one of those visits to the doctor. You should really get over it. Tell your parents you're fine." 

She was always so caring. Kohana wished for a moment that she hadn't lied to her, so she had someone to really talk to, but she knew it would only make Sakura pity her. Her cold logical mind reasserted itself. "You know I can't do that. They'd flip. I'll be fine tomorrow, I promise." 

"You better be." Sakura glanced nervously at Kiryuu, and then said, "I'll keep my cell on so you won't wake my roommate." 

Kohana smiled, then said, "Talk to you later. See you tomorrow, Ichida." 

Amidst a chorus of goodbyes, Kiryuu offered her his arm. They walked over to a motorcycle, ignoring the people watching them, and as he took out his keys, Kohana heard someone say, "I suppose it was only a matter of time... Hoshigawa and Kiryuu are two of the most popular people in the school." 

If only they understood. Smiling secretively, she waited for Kiryuu to start his motorcycle. 


	2. Chapter Two: Business as Usual

It was exhilarating. He didn't have an extra helmet with him, had unnecessarily apologized for that, and their hair streamed and tangled together in the wind the speed of their passage created. She wondered if it might be worth it to buy a motorcycle and learn to drive it. Every time he slowed, she pounded on his shoulder and called for him to go faster, faster, until they were far past the speed limit and approaching the top speed of the bike. He was quite the expert at driving it, handling it confidently and smoothly even when dodging between cars at top speed. For her part, she was becoming an expert passenger, learning when and which way to lean, and keeping one of her arms wrapped firmly around him at all times while the other urged him on. She could see, when she leaned away from him and a little to the side, that he was smiling beneath the tinted shield of the helmet. He liked the speed as much as she did. Pulling closer to him and crushing her breasts against his back, she let her free hand wander over the line of his throat, the silky skin teasing her senses delightfully. She couldn't wait to trace that line with her lips. 

He seemed to like that soft touch as much as she did too. 

It wasn't long before they pulled up at a little American-themed place, a bright and bustling little joint that advertised its real homemade hamburgers and fries. The thought of food made her feel slightly ill, but it didn't matter. She wasn't going to be eating. Kiryuu turned the key, and the bike's rumble died down. Without it, even the busy street seemed almost silent. Kohana slowly pulled away from him, swinging her leg over the bike and accepting his offer of a hand up. He didn't bother to let go of it as he too rose, keeping it in his light grasp. 

"You are cold," he said wonderingly, capturing the other. "I'll bring some gloves next time." 

There was going to be a next time? That would depend on how he treated her this time. But it was likely, in her estimation, that if he wanted a next time there would be one. "It won't matter. I'm always cold." 

He rubbed her hands a little before tucking one into the crook of his arm and walking her to the restaurant. "Does that have anything to do with why you see the doctor so often?" 

Kohana smiled up at him, covering her dismay at the question with humor. "Not really. My parents are always convinced that I'm sick with one thing or another, so they keep me home a lot and pester me with doctors." 

"I see," he said, and held the door open for her. As he did, his cell phone rang, and he gave her an apologetic glance before answering it. She disregarded the conversation, and went to be seated. 

The conversation must have been private, because he didn't follow until after the waitress had seated her at a table near the window. She'd been examining the frilly checked curtains, bored and a little piqued, but he did join her soon. "Another woman?" she asked teasingly, grinning at him. 

He had a little frown on his face, but it dissolved at her taunting tone. "I'm hurt. Why would I be on the phone with another woman when I'm here with a very attractive one already?" 

"Spare me," she said with mock exasperation. "Everyone knows about your habits, Kiryuu-sempai, and they want you anyway. Personally, I don't care whether you talk to fifty other women tonight. I'm not here for conversation." It wasn't like her to be so direct, but they both knew what they were really here for. If Kiryuu had actually meant it about joining the Seitokai, she would be very surprised. 

Smiling wryly, he said, "I am." When she arched an eyebrow at him, he continued smoothly, "Partly. But I've turned my cell phone off, so we shouldn't be disturbed again." 

_Amazing. He actually _is_ here to convince me to join._

"Suit yourself," she chuckled. 

The waitress came at that moment, filling their water glasses and leaving them to scan the menus. The aroma of cooking food made Kohana feel sicker, and she didn't look at hers very long. When the waitress came again, she said, "Hot chocolate, please." 

Kiryuu glanced at her strangely. "You really aren't hungry?" he asked. 

"No." 

"I am paying. Take advantage of it." 

"No, thank you. I'll just have my hot chocolate and a smoke, if you don't mind." She grinned at him, and then pulled out a battered pack of cigarettes. 

"Go ahead." He ordered, giving the waitress a charming smile, and then leaned back. Kohana lit her cigarette, inhaling deeply and watching the curls drift up to the white ceiling. "I didn't know you smoked." 

"Only before and after the good things in life. Chocolate. Motorcycle rides. Other things. Does it bother you?" She let her smile tell him what other good things she was referring to. 

"Not at all." He watched her for a moment, and then leaned toward her. "I suppose we should get down to business." His devilish grin told her that this was simply the preliminary to more interesting activities, a formality that had to be carried out. 

"Business before pleasure," she said, and then smiled charmingly at him. "No, I won't join the Student Council." 

_Hopefully that will hurry him along._

"Don't make such a hasty decision. I'd like you to come to a meeting, and I have something to show you. You've never been in the forest behind the school, have you?" The question seemed rather rhetorical. 

"No." She had investigated it, of course, but she hadn't been able to figure out how the door worked. What could be in there that was so private? 

He seemed to pick up on her frustration, and said, "I'm one of the few allowed in, as is the rest of the Student Council. What I'd like to show you is in that forest. It would be worth it, wouldn't it, just to say you'd been inside?" 

This was true. If whatever she saw changed her mind, then, that was fine. But so far she hadn't seen anything to change her mind. "Tell me, Kiryuu-sempai, what's in it for me? Joining the Student Council is fine for someone who wants something to add to their list of accomplishments, but I don't plan to do anything useful after school. My parents have enough money for me to do whatever I like for as long as I live. And I can't see why taking on any sort of position would be at all useful to you—I'm not going to do any extra work, and I'm away too often to be of much use in any case." 

At this, he arched a scarlet brow. "As I've said already, you might bring a vitality to the Council that seems lacking this year. And you're one of the most popular students in the school—you have a lot of influence, even among the teachers. You've charmed most of them into being amused by your... interesting approach to schoolwork. You know that the Council has sway over the teachers. Juri provides quite a bit of that sway, but we need someone with a lighter touch. Threatening them only makes them resent us. 

"And as to what's in it for you... you'd have the protection of the Student Council, in case anyone ever does find out that you're the one behind the pranks. The Council has known it for a long time." 

That was surprising. She'd always been careful not to be seen when there was an opportunity she simply couldn't miss. "How?" she asked, eyeing him warily. 

Kiryuu smiled and ignored her question. "The strictures of the school are very much relaxed when you're a member. You could show up to classes as seldom as you like. As well, you'd have the power that the position provides, if you use it responsibly. There are various other benefits, but those are the main ones. All you have to do is come to the meetings, maybe once every two weeks, and vote when there's a vote needed. And if we need you to convince someone to our views, you'd do it." 

She was almost sold on this idea. He was persuasive. Most importantly, she had the feeling that there was a lot he wasn't telling her, such as how the Council had known that she was behind the pranks in the school. "Then I'll agree to go to the forest with you. I might join." 

She thought she saw a troubled look pass over his face, but decided that it was her day to imagine things, because he smiled. "You won't regret it." 

"I haven't joined yet, Kiryuu-sempai, and don't forget it. Now, are we done with business?" She crushed her cigarette out, grinding the coal into nothingness. 

"For now," he said. He seemed more serious, as if something was weighing on his mind, but shrugged it off. "Tell me something, Kohana." 

"Maybe." 

"Is it really your parents that force you to see the doctor?" 

The question caught her off guard, and she was glad when the waitress appeared with her hot chocolate and Kiryuu's ice cream. It gave her a few moments to collect herself. Kiryuu didn't seem to notice, flirting with the waitress, and she was very glad of that. When he turned back to her, she was totally composed again. "They just worry too much. I get headaches, but as far as I know, they're just migraines." 

"Is that why you miss morning classes so often?" 

She scowled. "Have you been hiding under my bed? I like my privacy, Kiryuu-sempai." 

He laughed and backed off, waving a hand as if to dispel her anger. "Scrutiny of potential Student Council members is mandatory. Be glad that you were my choice and not Juri's, or she'd have your every move mapped out since the beginning of the new grade. She takes her duties very seriously." 

Her fit of pique dissolved at this. Of course he would have been watching her. It was strange that she hadn't noticed it, though. She usually noticed things like that, especially after one of her fans had started acting and dressing the same way, snapping photos of her at every opportunity. It had just been a crush, but it had still been unnerving. And the pictures had been horrible. 

Before she could answer, he'd continued on. "But no more of that. I do have another question for you, though, one I've been wondering about for quite some time." 

"Ask away." 

"In the early school pictures of you when you were young, your hair was dark. It's not naturally that color, is it?" 

She wrapped one of her white curls around her finger. "I'll let you find out for yourself." 

His mouth curved up in a catlike smile of satisfaction.   
  
  
  
After the meal and a few seconds of deliberation, they had decided to go to Kiryuu's house. It was in the same neighborhood, their parents being of the same social status, and it was every bit as large and opulent as her own. Kohana didn't need to wonder what his room was like—she had a very good idea already. Something that reeked of seduction and sensuality. Her own room was... well, quite disturbing to someone who didn't understand her. That included everyone, of course, so most people didn't stay long in it. That was fine with her. It was her private space. 

Kiryuu led her into the house, through large, richly furnished rooms and up stairs with carpets that she could swear swallowed her feet. The whole ambiance of the place was very similar to her parents' house. With a start, she saw that the frames on the paintings were exactly the same as the ones at her house. "I think our parents called the same decorator," she said, laughing. 

He turned to her, glancing around dubiously. "What makes you think that?" 

"The frames are the same," she said, pointing to one of them. "I can't remember his name, but he was a short man, balding, and he gestured and used his hands a lot." 

Laughing, he opened the door to what she assumed was his room. "We really aren't so different, are we? Hanato was his name." 

She brushed past him, finding what appeared to be a sitting room. It was even the same setup as she had her room, a sitting room before the bedroom. "It's a shame our parents weren't more creative themselves. At least yours had the fortune to pick a name that reflected some of your personality." 

He didn't deny that his parents weren't creative. He asked instead, "You find me graceful?" There was a teasing, flirtatious tone to his voice that she liked very much. 

"A loaded question. But I'm not a flower, especially not a little flower." She was feeling almost like her normal self again, and her spirits were rising continuously. Enough to indulge in a little flippant jab. "Grace you may have, but grace is no measure of your worth." 

Touga only laughed and said, "Make yourself comfortable. I'll bring something to drink if you would like, and an ashtray." 

"That would be kind of you." Nodding graciously, she seated herself on the chaise longue and watched him leave. As soon as he'd closed the door, her hand crept shakily up to rub at her temples. Another migraine was coming on, and judging by the tingling feeling in her face, it was going to be worse than the last one. If she could only hold out until she got home… the sex would help. It always did. 

Make herself comfortable, he'd said. An invitation to snoop? If so, she declined to use it. Instead, she yanked off the annoying red tie that was part of the school uniform and eased her neckline by a few buttons. This outfit was really far too revealing to be a school uniform. That was perhaps the only reason she approved of it. It made things all the easier. 

She'd taken her shoes off at the door, and now she removed her socks as well. The carpet felt good on her bare feet, a little rough and very deep, and she wandered around to enjoy the feel before pulling a comb out of her jacket pocket and running it through the tangled mess the wind had made of her white curls. After that, she felt a little better. She'd stretched out on the chaise again, her skirt riding up just to the tops of her thighs, when he opened the door, carrying two mugs and the ashtray. 

His eyes widened, and she knew the picture she must be. Exotic white hair spread out over the chaise's rolled back, her arms behind her head pulling the rumpled and half-undone shirt tight over her firm breasts, and her long legs bare from the tips of her toes to the tops of her thighs. It was a picture that had gotten her what she wanted many times before, and it would get her what she wanted now. 

Watching him look her over, she smiled and said mockingly, "You said to make myself comfortable." Almost carelessly, she let one of her legs slide off the chaise, letting it dangle. 

He was a gentleman, no doubt about that. It was refreshing, after so many years of being pawed by eager schoolboys that she had to guide and teach. He didn't even peek. "And are you comfortable?" he asked, his silken voice deepening with anticipation. 

"Not yet," she said, and smiled. Before he could ask why, she added, "I haven't gotten my drink yet." 

Laughing, Kiryuu crossed the room to where she was sitting, and set the ashtray on a nearby table. It was spotless. She'd somehow expected that his father would smoke, as hers did, but apparently she was just reading too much into a similarity of lifestyle. She sat up to receive her drink, and as she did so, he took the wordless invitation that curling up her legs implied, seating himself beside her. 

It was hot chocolate, of course. Just for that, she decided she'd treat him very nicely. 

Once she decided that she was finished with her drink for the time being, she set it down on the nearby table. The silence between them was a peculiarly comfortable one. They each knew what to expect, what would happen, and neither one had any illusions that it was anything more than mutual desire for satisfaction that brought them together. At the same time, the anticipation heightened their awareness of each other. It was almost like this had happened before, and they were just picking up where they'd left off. 

Strange, that she should feel so comfortable around someone to whom she'd never spoken before today. 

It was in honor of that soothing ease that she decided to stretch her legs out across his lap. "I feel like I've known you for a long time, Kiryuu-sempai." 

"Then you should call me Touga. We're not at school." His hand absently traced the line of her shin, from her knee to her ankle. 

The feather light touch of his fingers, the calluses on them, made her shiver a little. "I don't think either of us would mind if we were at school, as long as it was relatively private." 

"Maybe not." He wasn't looking at her body, not at all. His eyes were the brightest blue she'd ever seen, liquid. He was watching her face intently. 

_The mark of a good lover. Watch my expression, listen to the noises I make, and let your body feel the rest._

"Maybe if we should happen to meet at school one day…" she let the words trail off and grinned. This was getting very, very good. 

"Maybe. I like the idea." He smiled, and let his fingers wander around to the back of her knee, gently stroking. He seemed to know just the right amount of pressure, and just how long to linger, before his hand moved down to cup her calf. She bit her lip, just a little. Kiryuu smiled lazily, self-assured as ever. He had such sensual lips... 

Languidly, Kohana's arms drifted up, and she arched her back and stretched. It was always good to stretch before exercise. She could clearly feel the soft cotton slithering upwards, exposing her flat stomach, and she closed her eyes in enjoyment. One thing her illness did give her was sensitivity, so that every little sensation was magnified. It made things like chocolate and silk into lush ecstasy; every taste, every touch, a little slice of rapture. 

She felt him shift, and then his warm lips were gently heating her cold skin, his tongue flickering out to taste it. The sheer silken feeling made her gasp. Carefully, so as not to disturb him or stop him from doing as he liked, she slid one leg away from him. He was leaning on his elbow, so it was easy enough to inveigle her leg under his arm and then around him. Kiryuu smiled against her skin. Nipping lightly just below the bottom button of her shirt, he let her know that it was to be undone. 

Kohana's hand made its lazy way down from behind her as his hand found the small of her back, the other still cupping her calf. Teasing him a little, she delicately ran her fingers over his hair, twining a lock of it around her finger and slitting her eyes so that she could consider the color as she relaxed. It wasn't red, exactly, more like scarlet or ruby. He nipped her a little harder, almost to the edge of pain. 

The slight hiss of indrawn breath was all he needed to hear before he was kissing it better. She dropped the lock of hair she'd been playing with and stroked his head before letting her fingers creep up to the button and undo it. He was such a tease; he would drop soft kisses here and here, and then his tongue would circle her navel and draw a warm, wet line up to the next button, where her fingers rested. Kohana undid it without delay, and he continued his meandering way upward to the next one. And the next one. And the next one. Until there were no more buttons left, and he was placing wet kisses along the inside curves of her breasts and along the line of her brassiere. 

Kiryuu's cheek brushed against her nipple beneath the flimsy covering. "Silk?" he murmured, gently flicking the hard point with his tongue. 

"I can't stand anything against my skin that isn't soft," she breathed. 

Drawing it into his mouth, he made a soft sound of assent. Even through the silk, Kohana could feel his mouth clearly, the moist warmth dizzying her. Her body writhed in ecstasy. When he let it fall from his mouth, the loss of sensation was almost unbearable until he whispered, "I have silk sheets." 

The feather-light brush of his lips on the very tip and the warm tide of his breath made her moan aloud. It was a few moments before she could trust herself to speak. "Show me."   
  
  
  
The real world slowly began to intrude again. He rolled off of her, once again self-possessed and in control, and she ignored the trembling of her limbs long enough to light a cigarette and inhale normality with the smoke. Exhaling noisily, still unable to catch her breath entirely, she said, "We should do that again sometime." 

"We should have done that a long time ago," he said. 

"I didn't know you before today," she laughed quietly. It was actually quite a shame they hadn't met before—she had truly been missing out. 

"At least now I know that's your natural hair color." His amused smile was clearly audible. 

"Same to you." 

Kiryuu laughed and started to say something, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. 

"Onii-sama? I heard a cry—" came through the door. 

"It's nothing, Nanami," he called. "Go away." 

There was a long silence, and then Nanami said, "All right, Onii-sama." 

Kohana finished her smoke in silence. Kiryuu didn't seem to be inclined to talk, and most of the time she didn't like to talk after sex, especially at this moment. That migraine was finally making itself known again. Irritably, she stubbed out the cigarette, standing up and gathering her clothes despite the slight dizziness she felt. When he saw what she was doing, Kiryuu did the same. "Don't trouble yourself," she said, coolly amused. "I can let myself out." 

"I'll take you home." Judging from the way his eyebrows drew together so slightly, he was going to be stubborn about it. She supposed that, on second thought, it might be easier to let him have his way. 

_A gentleman even afterward. Surprising._

As they made their way back down to the door, the migraine grew worse and worse. Kohana was beginning to feel the cool tingles at the top of her head that heralded a fainting spell, and the tiny spikes in her temples had somehow grown. At least she'd had the period of respite given by the sex. 

_Hold on, just until I get home. I can faint in peace there._

Within minutes they were on the motorcycle, her arms locked desperately around his body, and only a little while after that she was getting off at her house. The only problem was that she could barely hold herself up. Grey spots were starting to cloud the world around her. 

"About the Council—" Kiryuu started. 

"Tomorrow," she said, and waved him off. The blood was draining from her skin, a familiar feeling. Suddenly it seemed like she was made of ice. 

Frowning, he asked, "Are you all right? You look pale." 

"I'm just tired." After giving him a weak smile, she turned away and said, "We'll talk tomorrow." Why couldn't he just leave her alone? She had to get to the house, _now_, or she'd be in big trouble... The grey spots were eating slowly away at her vision, and she was dizzy. Somehow she fumbled the gate open by touch, unable to see it clearly, and made her way down the path. She was almost there, but the door seemed to be miles away. 

The path was smooth; she'd made sure of that when she'd first been old enough to write a check, so why had she stumbled? The impact jarred her knees, her palms scraped from breaking her fall, but it was nothing compared to the stabbing silver pain in her temples. Soon she'd fall all the way. That would be worse, if she was conscious for it. 

The last thing she remembered was warm hands on her arms, holding her up, and her own effort to say, very clearly and precisely through gritted teeth, "Leave me alone." 


	3. Chapter Three: Secrets

She had to miss the next day of school, recovering. Sakura had called, wondering why Kohana had forgotten to call the night before, and Kohana had made some silly excuse about being tired and worn out that instantly spawned all kinds of suppositions about Kiryuu's part in that. But she was able to go to school the day after, and was feeling almost as good as she ever did. 

Which, admittedly, wasn't all that great, but it was near normal. She'd managed to glue the counselor to her chair again before lunch. The woman would never learn to look before she sat down. 

When lunch rolled around, she was her normal, almost happy self again, sitting under a tree with Sakura and Ichida and another girl, Ayame, being admired from afar by the rest of the student populace. Perhaps it was time to take a walk through and speak to them, see if there were any students who were interesting enough for a quick jaunt to the music room. 

"So, tell us what happened!" Sakura demanded. "What did you do, where did you go? Is Kiryuu-sempai as big a playboy as they say he is?" 

"No one could be that big a playboy, no matter how many girls he always has hanging around him," Ichida put in. "Besides, why are you interested, Sakura? Think he might want to go through the rest of the group now?" Ichida was always teasing Sakura about wanting to leave him. Kohana supposed it was because he knew she never would. If she did, though, Kohana would have snapped him up in a second—those warm hazel eyes and that violet hair were stunning. He truly deserved to be in her little clique of beautiful people. 

"I can't believe it. You really went out with—_him_? He's so dreamy! But I've heard things about him... Probably just stories, I guess." Ayame was one of the world's innocents—that was easy enough to see by the way her green eyes widened whenever something minimally 'bad' was mentioned, as if she hadn't any idea how people could do such things. She never liked to believe what she heard about others, preferring to believe that all people were good at heart. She too belonged to the clique of beautiful people, with long black hair and a body that Kohana considered delectable, but she was often left out by the other three for having no appetite for mischief. 

"You've all heard things about me, too. How many of those are true?" Kohana was really getting tired of this, and it was only ten minutes after the bell had rung for lunch. 

Sakura, who knew the most, shifted uncomfortably and brushed a blonde curl out of her eyes. "Some of them, I guess." Then her blue eyes widened a touch as she saw someone standing behind Kohana. 

"Some of what?" 

_Three guesses as to who, and the first two don't count. _

"Kiryuu-sempai." It was too much effort to turn around and look at him right now. He'd enter her line of vision eventually. 

"I'd like an explanation, Kohana." He didn't sound angry, or confused. He was just stating a fact. It sounded like he was leaning on the tree directly behind her. 

"I had a migraine. I fainted. There's your explanation." She couldn't help a smile when she said this. It was such fun being politely rude to him. 

Over Sakura's gasp of sympathy, he said calmly, "I'd like a better explanation, Kohana." 

"Do I owe you something more, Kiryuu-sempai?" Her smile widened. Soon he would have to come around in front of her, just to see whether she really was laughing at him. 

His voice sounded tight when he answered, but Kohana couldn't tell if it was from anger or restrained laughter. "When I have to carry a girl up to her room after she nearly breaks both her knees by falling on hard pavement, I think better explanations are due." 

"Kohana! Is that true?" Sakura's face was the picture of distress. She glanced warily from Kiryuu to Kohana and back. 

Kiryuu began, "It's the truth—" 

"I didn't invite you into my room, Kiryuu." The words dropped into the warm air like chips off an iceberg. He'd gone into her room? _Without her permission?_

"No one was home at the time except one of the maids, and she wasn't strong enough to carry you." He seemed much calmer now that she was angry. "She directed me there. Would you rather I'd left you on the hall floor?" 

"_Yes!_ You had no right to invade my privacy that way! I only met you for the first time that day!" Her room was _her_ space! That was the only place she could truly be herself, and he'd ignored that boundary! "And you _knew_ I didn't like people I don't know going in there!" 

"I wouldn't say that you don't know me. Explain yourself. Why the doctors? Why do you stay home from school so often?" It was strange, the way that purring voice could get on her nerves while still tickling her skin with remembrance. 

"It's not your concern, Kiryuu. You should have had the decency to bring it privately, if at all." Now Sakura and Ichida and Ayame would never buy that line about her parents being overprotective again. She'd have to construct a whole new wall of lies to protect herself. 

"It is my concern. You're to be my assistant until I graduate. If there is something that will prevent you from carrying out your duties in that capacity, I must know." What utter bullshit! He knew very well that it wouldn't interfere any more than it interfered with her school life. 

"Assistant? Assistant to the Seitokaicho, you mean?" Ichida's angelic face was confused, and his brows drew together in a frown. "That would mean—" 

"Yes, I am considering Kohana as my successor. However, if she cannot perform the duties expected, I must choose another." There was a sound of cloth scraping over bark, as if he had just shifted. 

"Sakura. Ichida. Ayame. Will you leave us alone, please? I apologize for cutting our lunch short." Looking at them each in turn, Kohana saw that their faces were worried, confused. Hopefully by the time she met up with them again she'd have another lie to tell them, a more convincing one this time. 

"Lunch, nothing!" Sakura got up abruptly, her confusion changing to anger. "You hardly ate anything at all, Kohana. You don't eat, you sleep too much, you're always away—if you can't tell us what's wrong with you, at least don't lie to us and say you're fine!" 

Ichida's face became worried and apologetic, and as Ayame hurried after Sakura, he said, "I'll talk to her. She's just hurt." 

"I know. I'm sorry for hurting her." And she was, a little, but not for lying. Kohana watched Ichida hurry after the two girls. The stereo magazines he always carried around were left behind, pages flipping in the light breeze. Without turning around, she asked, "Are you happy now? I've known you a whole two days and you've managed to ruin one of my friendships as well as invade my privacy and pry into things that aren't any of your business." 

"I apologize. I thought they, at least, would have known." He did sound truly regretful, but that just wasn't good enough. The grass rustled softly, directly behind her, and she could almost feel him touching her. He wasn't, of course. Not yet. 

"There's nothing to know. I get migraines. I faint. That's it. You didn't seem concerned about the school I miss when you asked me to join the Seitokai." Another rustle of grass and cloth. Suddenly her anger was melting away. After all, what was done was done. There was no help for it now. And he was very good, amazing, in bed. She had to give him some leeway just on the basis of that. 

_He said he liked the idea of meeting at school someday…_

His hand gently landed on her shoulder, pulling her backward. She didn't bother to put up even a token resistance, the way she would have with anyone else. Her back encountered his chest, and she could see his face out of the corner of her eye. He wasn't looking at her either as he said, "I admit, it wasn't that. What worried me was seeing you faint—" 

She laughed, cutting him off. "Don't bother, Kiryuu-sempai. I'm not one of the little girls that you have to reassure and coddle—I know you weren't worried." It was silly to think that she might fall for that. She knew him, knew what he was all about. Sex and power were his drugs of choice—and hers. 

After consideration, he said, "True. But it was rather disconcerting. Tell me, did you faint because of the sex? If so, we should be more careful in the future." 

Leaning on him was quite comfortable. She reached up to toy with a lock of his hair as she said, "If anything, that helped me get home in one piece. I'd had the migraine ever since you left for our drinks. I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did; usually I can' t even stand after the first half-hour." 

"Is it really so bad?" he asked softly, though without sympathy. There was only curiosity in his tone. 

"Most of the time, no. I don't get them every day, or even every other day. But when I do get them, they're horrible." That was enough truth for the day. She knew he was still trying to get her to tell him what it was that caused them, though he was being subtle about it. It wouldn't do to let him know that she'd caught on. Lightly she stroked his cheek, turning to look directly at him for the first time as she did so. His eyes caught hers, an amused and heated glance. "I'm still angry at you for going into my room." 

He smiled. "You don't sound angry." 

"I am." 

"You're not. After all, you were going to take me in there eventually." That same seductive smile was in full force as his hand left her shoulder to caress her arm. 

"People are going to think you've given up your degenerate ways if you don't stop hanging around me. Don't you know that I'm a perfect angel, and above playboys like you?" Kohana smiled imperiously. It was true. She could almost see the excited whispers passing from group to group near them, and the 'covert' looks were ridiculously apparent. 

"Your reputation is suffering too. With a playboy like me, people might start to suspect that you're not as angelic as you act." He turned her chin so that she was facing him again. "Your eyes almost look golden. They're beautiful." 

"Thank you." Glancing back to the scattered groups of people on the grass, her smile dissolved. "If we left together, they would assume we were dating. Look at them whisper." 

Shaking his head, he said, "I know. The gossip is the true ruler of this school." 

"I'm shocked. I thought I was." Injecting just a shade of humor into her voice, Kohana stole a glance at him. Curiosity drove her; how good was he at hearing the subtle variations in a person's voice? 

He did hear it, and his quiet appreciation of the joke won a little more of her respect. Perhaps he was worthy of more than just her bed—perhaps he was worthy of conversation as well. She'd never lacked for lovers, but good conversation was something to be treasured when found. "Nothing in this place rules the actions of the students as much as the rumor mill. We'll start quite a few rumors just by the fact that I'm not surrounded by my cloud of admirers, and I'm not trying to steal a kiss from you." 

"And why not, Kiryuu-sempai?" Kohana asked, arching her eyebrow at him. "Have you suddenly decided that you don't like it?" She knew why she wasn't kissing him; it would go against the pure image she'd cultivated. Glamour, purity, and nobility brought people flocking to her side—and only one of them was real. 

"I feel it would be wise to be somewhat discreet if we're to continue our association. I wouldn't want people thinking that I chose you for the Seitokai because of your other talents." A small smile curved his lips. "In any case, you should call me Touga. I think we're more than just acquaintances." 

The bell rang to call the students back in, and Kohana nodded, gathering up Ichida's magazines and the bento box Ayame had left. "Maybe." It wasn't the way she thought of him, and it helped to keep him at the proper distance. He would know that, she supposed, and decided not to call him Touga. He wasn't anywhere near important enough to have a first name yet. 

"Meet me at the rose garden after school," he said after he'd risen, offering her a hand up. "There are still a few things we need to discuss about the Council, and the rest of them want to inspect you. It's just a formality. You're already in, if you want to be." 

"I think so. But what was this about being your successor?" 

"I'll explain later." Smiling, he turned and began to walk away, throwing one last comment over his shoulder, "I like your room." 

Arrogant. But then, she was too.   
  
  
  
In class, Sakura was quiet, unlike her normal self. She seemed withdrawn, and when Kohana caught her during their break, she didn't seem inclined to speak. It was a good thing Kohana had all of her lies in order. 

"Sakura, I hope Ichida told you how sorry I am. It was really unforgivable of me to lie to you that way." 

Sakura nodded, but didn't say anything, putting books into her locker. 

She _would_ make it harder than it needed to be. Kohana took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for something painful or embarrassing, and carefully restrained the impatience she felt. "I know you don't feel like you can trust me to tell the truth again, and I understand. But I don't want you to be hurt over what was my stupid mistake, and I'd like the chance to explain. I don't have any illusions that it's going to make everything all right again, but even if we aren't friends after this, you deserve that much from me." 

The locker slammed shut. "And why didn't I deserve a little honesty from you when we were friends?" Her voice was taut with unshed tears. 

Good. It would make things easier if she was emotionally off-balance. Kohana made her voice sympathetic, humble. "You sound really upset with me. You have every right to be. Do you want to go someplace private, where we can talk? Even if you just stand there and yell at me, I don't care. You deserve to be angry." 

"Yeah, I guess. We'll be late for class." Now Sakura's anger was almost gone. It was amazing what a few well-placed, properly inflected words would do. Sakura would just be feeling miserable about the sharp words she'd said. 

"Don't worry, I'll tell Matsushida that I needed your help with something. He'll believe me." Kohana let a small, wry smile appear on her face. "After all, I shouldn't get you in trouble on top of lying to you." 

Sakura smiled back, a little. It wasn't enough yet. "Are we going to the music room?" 

"No. We might as well go to the Council's rose garden. I'll be a member soon enough anyway." Kiryuu Nanami should be in class right now, and she was sure that something so minor would be overlooked if she were caught by any of the other members of the Council. Kiryuu, of course, would only try to seduce them both. 

The hallways were rapidly emptying as they made their way to the garden, the students hurrying to their classes. Scattered waves and greetings were always answered by a nod, but only that, as Kohana wanted Sakura to get the idea that whatever she was going to say was important enough that she would forget her normal pleasantries. People were remarkably willing to believe whatever they wanted. 

The rose garden was empty, thank goodness, and Kohana held the door for Sakura as she entered. The girl's pretty face shone with delight as she saw the banks of roses overflowing the graceful planters. "Wow, Kohana, I didn't think this place would be so beautiful!" 

"I thought it might make you a little happier." Kohana gave her a timid smile, and sat down on the bench. The air was redolent with the sensual scent of the roses, something she hadn't been able to appreciate when Nanami had been there. She let Sakura wander around the room a little longer, absorbed as she was in the beauty of the flowers, but she soon grew tired of waiting and spoke. "If you want to hear what I have to say…" she began, feigning nervousness. 

"I suppose." Sakura had calmed down quite a bit, and she was now more favorably disposed towards Kohana. Her eyes had lost the wounded look that had appeared when she realized that Kohana had lied to her. That was good. 

"I didn't want to tell you this because I didn't want you to worry about me. I don't like to be pitied, and I didn't want even my closest friends to pity me because I'm ill." After a quick glance to see how well that had gone over, she continued on. "And I am sick. No one's been able to figure out why, but I get horrible headaches. When they get too bad, I faint. The doctors don't know what to do about it, but they can't prescribe painkillers because I'd build up a tolerance to the weaker ones. Eventually I'd be addicted to the stronger ones. There's nothing anyone can do about it, so I didn't want people treating me like I'm different because of it." 

"Oh, that's horrible!" Sakura said, and then clapped her hand over her mouth. She smiled wryly as the hand came down. "And I'll just forget about it. I can see why you didn't want me to know." 

"It's not just you, Sakura—" 

"But it was mostly me, wasn't it? I understand. I wouldn't want people constantly worrying about me either." She paused for a moment, confused. "But your parents—" 

"That's another thing I lied about. My parents hardly know I'm alive. I make all of my doctors' appointments, mostly when I can feel a really bad spell coming on, but sometimes after. My parents just pay for it all." Sakura opened her mouth, and Kohana hurried to add, "And that's another thing I don't like to talk about. My parents are their own people, with their own lives, and they do what they must to keep me fed and clothed and educated. I'm grateful to them for that, but they're my parents in name only. Other people might have better home lives, but I like mine the way it is, and I don't want to be pitied for something I'm comfortable with." 

Sakura nodded, giving Kohana a brisk little salute. "Yes, sir! I'll try not to make you uncomfortable now that I know all of this. No one, not even Ichida, will hear about it from me." 

Kohana smiled shyly. "Then I'm forgiven?" As if Ichida wouldn't find out. In fact, Kohana was counting on it. If Sakura told him that she wasn't supposed to tell him, he'd keep it a better secret than he would if she herself had asked him. As for Ayame, Kohana supposed that eventually one or the other would get around to telling her—with the same stipulation that she wasn't supposed to know. Ayame would then keep her mouth shut about it, having two people to discuss it with, and no one else would find out. That was just how things worked. 

Catching her up in a hug, Sakura said, "Of course you are! Now you have to tell me about Kiryuu-sempai. If we're going to be late, we might as well be as late as possible." 

This was one topic that she didn't need to hide about. "He's... amazing," she breathed, allowing the memory of that night to return for a little while. 

Sakura raised her eyebrow, seating herself by Kohana. "You just met him the day before yesterday!" 

"We're both fast workers. Come on, Sakura, if you didn't have Ichida, tell me you'd actually refuse Kiryuu." She gave Sakura a poke in the side. "You can't, can you?" 

"No... but I don't think-- no, not the day I met him. I wouldn't. I don't know how you can." There was no censure in Sakura's eyes. She was used to Kohana's habits and appetites. 

Kohana sighed. "I know. I guess… we were just the same type. You know me—I like guys. A lot. And I guess he likes girls a lot, and we sort of convinced each other too much when neither of us needed much convincing at all." 

_It's like we both just tripped and landed in bed. It probably would have taken a lot longer if we hadn't both been so willing._

"You're not going out with him, are you?" 

Laughing, she answered, "No. He has no more intention of settling down with one person than I do. But I am meeting him after school today on Council business. After that..." She shrugged, grinning. "Who knows? I certainly won't turn it down if it's offered." 

"You're so bad!" Sakura laughed, smacking Kohana's arm. It was just playful, but it did hurt. Kohana had never told her that she was overly sensitive, and didn't bother to make it known now; it might reveal that there was more to her condition than she'd just said. "So tell me," Sakura continued on, oblivious, "How was he?" 

Smiling mistily, Kohana said, "Amazing." She settled in for a little girl talk.   
  
  
  
After school, Kohana didn't bother to go in the rose garden. Kiryuu Nanami was in there. Something about that girl, the way she acted, spoke, smiled so blankly... Correction: everything about that girl was disconcerting. 

So Kohana was leaning on a nearby column, holding court with a few of the more amusing members of her grade. People passing by waved, she waved back; someone had the guts to ask her directly what was going on between she and Kiryuu, and she gave some meaningless answer that would be twisted and interpreted into an unrecognizable mess by morning. Normality was as enjoyable as ever, even in the shadow of that birdcage. 

Eventually Kiryuu did approach, surrounded by a cloud of his own followers. And oh, how they glared at her when he excused himself. Extremely conscious of all of the eyes on them and all the envy hanging like a thick mist, she made her own excuses and met him halfway. "Kiryuu-sempai." Causing such a stir was definitely enjoyable, but she'd tire of it soon enough. 

"Kohana." He offered her his arm, and she laid her hand lightly on it as if they were at a formal dance. "I asked you to call me Touga." 

"I apologize, Touga," she said coolly. "Shall we?" 

"Of course, unless you'd like to do this another day. Juri can be quite intimidating." He smiled at her, quite unnecessarily reassuring. It was probably for show. He knew she wasn't nervous. 

She had to react to it somehow. She gave him a grin that was a bit nervous at first, but then broadened into her most winning smile. "You make it sound like I'm in trouble." 

"You might be." He grinned devilishly at her, and began to lead her further into the school. 

Ohtori was expansive. Stately architecture permeated the place, even into the classrooms, and everywhere throughout, the rose crest dominated. Stained glass windows featured it, little roses were hidden in moldings, the white stone tiles were painted with them; it was everywhere. Kiryuu took her into a part of the school she'd only been in once before deciding it was a waste of time to be there. As far as she remembered, there was nothing too interesting here. 

They entered an antique-looking elevator, complete with caged doors and red painted walls. Kiryuu appeared to be deep in thought, standing in the center of the elevator and gazing out of the window, so she didn't disturb him, preferring instead to lean against one of the walls and watch birds in flight through the window. 

The opening of the doors snapped him out of it. He turned and walked out, beckoning to her to follow him. Red seemed to be the predominant color for drapes and wall hangings here; on either side of a large door were velvet drapes. An impressive rose cutout window topped the door. It was dark inside the enormous room, but on the balcony beyond Kohana could see figures moving. 

As she moved onto the balcony, as large as the room itself, she could see that it was flanked by two spires. There was a small table set up at the far end. Arisugawa Juri, Saionji Kyouichi, and Kaoru Miki sat around it. Kiryuu Nanami was nowhere to be seen. 

So she wasn't on the Council at all, then? No one else was allowed in the rose garden. Kohana decided that Kiryuu must have given her the job of tending the roses because she was good at it—though Kohana had no idea whether she actually was or not. Gardening was low on her list of interests. 

As she drew near, she noticed a folder on the table. No doubt it was her student record or some such nonsense. Kiryuu stopped a few feet away from the table, and she did the same. After all, she was taking her cues from him. 

"Is this your choice, Seitokaicho? She looks better suited to your games than to the games of the rose seal," Saionji said, a sneer in his voice. He was resting his forehead lightly on his hand, looking Kohana over through slitted purple eyes. 

"I've satisfied myself as to her abilities. She is a suitable replacement." Kiryuu returned calmly. There was an air of hidden menace about the group, as if together they created some strange alchemical reaction that was not apparent when they were apart. "Kohana is well known throughout the lower grades, and in the higher grades. She is intelligent, capable, and persuasive. The teachers speak highly of her, as do the students." 

Kaoru looked up from the book he was scribbling in. "I thought she wasn't willing." 

Kiryuu opened his mouth to speak, but Kohana cut him off. "I am now." 

Shooting her an amused glance, Kiryuu gestured to her and stayed silent. 

Drumming her fingers on the table, Arisugawa looked her over. Kohana had heard rumors about her, but she wasn't especially intimidated. After all, Arisugawa was only human, and all humans had their weaknesses. Kohana scrutinized her as sharply as she was being scrutinized, searching for anything about her that suggested a flaw of some sort, something that could be used against her. She didn't usually indulge herself in openly studying people, but she was safe as long as Kiryuu was sponsoring her. 

Arisugawa finally laughed abruptly, a humorless sound. "She reminds me of you, Seitokaicho." Standing gracefully, she walked toward Kohana and then around her, circling her once before stopping in front of her. Kohana did not watch Arisugawa inspect her; she simply met Arisugawa's gaze calmly when the older girl stopped in front of her again. The silence began to grow thick. 

"Strong willed, and cool headed," Arisugawa murmured, after an endless moment of wary study. Neither had dropped her eyes. "If I hadn't known better, I would have said you'd brought one of your playthings, Seitokaicho." 

"If you feel Kiryuu-sempai has made the wrong choice, why not say so?" Kohana said calmly, still watching Arisugawa, mentally testing her reaction for weakness. 

Amusement crept into her emerald eyes. She saw the analysis Kohana was conducting. "So calculating. I don't believe you're intimidated at all, though I'm sure you've heard the rumors." She smiled, but it held no real good humor. There was something strangely sad about it. She turned to Kiryuu. "If I don't applaud your choice, you'll understand. However, I think you've made the right one." 

He nodded, silent. Arisugawa walked back over to the table, taking her seat and looking away as if the rest of it no longer concerned her. For a moment Kohana wondered what it would be like to have an ice queen like that in bed. Would she stay frigid, or would she melt? She had the feeling that it was the latter. 

Kaoru glanced up from his book again. What did she know about him? Ah yes, he was the genius. He'd even composed that piece of music, 'The Sunlit Garden'. She rather liked that one. 

Watching her now, he seemed very young, but there was a sort of strength to him that Kohana couldn't put her finger on. She shifted, allowing her already short skirt ride a little higher. Kaoru noticed with shock, and Kohana mentally filed away his reaction. It seemed that he was an innocent. A faint blush came to his cheeks and his gaze darted uneasily over to Kiryuu. "Her absences are of concern to us," he said. "As the Seitokaicho's assistant it won't be necessary for her to be present at every meeting. But if she is as capable as you think she is, they will become a problem when she is Seitokaicho." 

"They will not interfere. I am sure she will make as much effort to be present for them as I do. If she cannot attend for some reason or other, I have confidence that she will make her opinions clear beforehand. You'll have no reason to doubt her." Kiryuu seemed very amused. No doubt it was because of her little attempt to throw Kaoru off balance. 

She decided it was time for a little more play. Keeping her tone completely innocent, she said, "'The Sunlit Garden' is a favorite of mine, Kaoru. Perhaps you'll play it for me sometime. I would so love to have you for a private concert." Kohana's fingers stroked the side of her thigh in a way that would appear completely absent, picking at the edge of her skirt. 

The poor boy blushed again. It was too easy. No challenge at all. Kiryuu's soft chuckle attracted her attention, but she didn't bother looking at him. Instead, she gave Kaoru a small smile of reassurance. After all, she didn't want to frighten the poor boy into keeping her out of the Council. 

As he saw that smile, she could almost see him adding up facts. The wheels in his head clicked away for a few moments, and then he nodded. "I agree, Seitokaicho. She'll do well." 

He really was too young for her. In a year or two, perhaps. Maybe only one year. 

Saionji was the next to go. He stood and walked over to her, invading her personal space allowance for people like him by at least three feet. When she didn't break eye contact with him, he sneered. Voice dripping with sarcasm, he said, "The pranks are so amusing. It's a shame she has to give them up." 

Give them up? Right, and the moon was about to turn blue. 

"She'll do what is necessary to be the Seitokaicho. If that means giving up the pranks, she'll do so. For now, it is not an issue." This ritualized attack and defense of her was quite interesting, comforting at the same time as it was unnerving. It would be amusing to head one of these little rituals; Kohana found traditions like this a good way to watch people, as any break or misstep or even someone's reaction to it could be informative. 

"No, but her behavior in general is. The pranks, the skipped school, the little affairs of the heart-- well, perhaps not of the heart." Saionji smiled arrogantly. "Is she too concerned with the other parts of her life? Will she forget her duties for them?" 

Annoyance reared its unwelcome head at Saionji's tone. She decided she was going to field this one, just to get the satisfaction of defending herself from this green-haired ignoramus. "If my duties actually are as important as you seem to think they are, I'll do them. Without fail." 

There was a long silence after that, and all eyes were on her, even Arisugawa's. She had the feeling that if she hadn't been there, many conversations would have gone on. 

"You have no idea what you're getting into," Saionji finally said, no trace of sarcasm in his tone. 

"I'll find out eventually." Kohana spoke just as seriously. What could possibly be so dire about the Student Council's duties? There was no point in showing her indifference, though, so she continued to play along. 

Saionji nodded, walking back to his seat. "I suppose it doesn't matter, but I refuse to vote. She's suitable enough, but…" 

Calmly, Kiryuu prompted, "But?" 

After Saionji had seated himself again, he looked directly at her. "But I won't be party to it." He didn't look like he was doing this out of personal motivation. He'd said she was suitable. What was his problem? Kohana searched his face, but she didn't find anything except a hint of the sadness she'd seen in Arisugawa's smile. 

"Fukukaicho. You're at Ohtori. Vote." Kiryuu's voice was sharp. 

"Then I vote no." Voice just as sharp, Saionji still watched her. 

"If you have no concrete reason, you'll go on record as having agreed with my choice. State your reason." What was the reason for all of this? Kiryuu seemed angry, but not at Saionji. The others were watching her again, and again Kohana had the feeling that more would have been said if she weren't there. 

Saionji stayed silent, as did everyone else. Finally, Kiryuu said, "Then you've all agreed. I'm glad you approve of my choice." He walked over to the table and Kohana stayed where she was. Picking up the folder that she'd seen, he walked back to her and handed it to her. "This is Council business only. It goes no further than this room and these people." 

Opening the folder, she saw sheets of medical reports. Kiryuu was watching her intently. 

She backhanded him before she even knew what she was doing. 

Kaoru gasped, and she distantly heard the click of a stopwatch, but the others remained silent. Kiryuu looked back at her as calmly as if it had never happened, his narrowed eyes the only hint that he felt anything at all. "As I said, Council business only." 

"That's where you're wrong, Kiryuu. It's my business only. How long have you had these?" Medical reports. _Her_ medical reports. Every detail of her physical state—unhealthy—as well as her mental state. They were complete, starting with the time she was in the hospital for chicken pox when she was four. All the vaccinations and inoculations, all the tests the doctors had run on her to find out why she had migraines and why she fainted, even the experimental drug she'd taken that had ended up bleaching the color from her hair. They were all in there. She had a set at home, though they were battered and torn, unlike these. 

"Since this afternoon. I had to know if your illness was something that would interfere with your duties." 

"You couldn't try believing me when I said it wouldn't?" The words were out of her mouth before she thought. "No, of course not. Obviously it won't, since you've let me get this far. Are you happy yet, Kiryuu? You've yet again invaded my privacy and this time I won't forgive you so easily." 

"You haven't forgiven me for last time," he said, composed. "You'll understand soon enough." He gently took the folder from her, turning and flipping through it as he walked away. "Increased sensitivity to all stimuli. Low body temperature. Migraine headaches. Decreased appetite. Fainting spells caused by migraines as well as slight malnutrition. Internal organs relatively sound. Muscle tone, endurance, and cerebral functions declining gradually. Mental state-- denial. Superiority complex. Possible neuroses ranging from paranoia to anxiety attacks." He turned back to her. "There's conflict about your mental health and none of the problems are especially severe, which leads me to believe that at least some of it was faked for your amusement." 

"Yes." There was no point in being angry. He already knew. "That only confirms what you've decided." 

He nodded, walking back to the table and slapping the papers down. "Subject is expected to experience deterioration in physical and mental abilities, caused by autoimmune deficiency. No prescriptions due to severity of attacks and risk of addiction. Addendum—subject is infertile, cause pinpointed as experimental treatments. Life expectancy is ten years at most." Turning back to her, he asked, "Your private estimate?" 

"Five. How did you get that?" He was going to pay dearly. 

"That's not important." He smiled, walking back over to her. "And you're wasting your life in school?" 

"If you must ask, at least ask in private. I don't care to have my thoughts on life and my impending death discussed in committee, no matter how quiet they are." Kohana frowned lightly at him. Whatever she'd thought was going on before, this was stranger. What kind of Student Council needed that kind of information? 

Arisugawa rose. "The meeting is over. You're instated as Kiryuu's assistant, and you'll get your uniform tonight. Wear it instead of your normal uniform." For the first time, Kohana saw a glimpse of humanity in that carved-ice façade, a small and sympathetic gleam in Arisugawa's eyes. Anger roared up within Kohana again—she much preferred people to ignore whatever feelings of pity they might have for her—but she damped it down, knowing that getting angry would only expose her to the whole Seitokai. 

Putting an arm around her shoulders, Kiryuu guided her out of the room. Behind her, she heard Saionji say softly and bitterly, "For the revolution of the world." 

She didn't bother to glance back. Kiryuu's face revealed a small measure of anger, most likely a lot less than he was feeling. At what? The words were nonsense. Silently she promised herself that she'd find out what it was that was so important about the Seitokai's duties, and that she'd make Kiryuu pay for prying. Soon. 


	4. Chapter Four: What is Meant

"I'm taking you home." 

Kohana had started toward the gates, shrugging off his arm. "Why is that?" she asked as she turned to face him. 

"Because I'm coming up to take a better look at your room." He smiled. It was annoying, the way he assumed he would get his way. 

"And what could possibly make you think you were welcome there?" she asked coolly. The breeze picked up, fluttering her hair and her skirt and tossing a few dead leaves through the empty archways lining the paths. She shivered. 

"You're not going to ruin our friendship over such a small thing. I found out. You're not angry, you're plotting revenge." Taking the few steps toward her, he captured her hand in his. "I chose you because you're so much like me. I know how you react. Changing now will only waste energy and effort on both our parts." 

"Then don't bother to call it a friendship. If we're not going to waste our time on games, we might as well drop all of them." The worst thing was, he was right. At least now she had someone she didn't need to hide her illness from. But even though she suggested it, there was no way she was putting aside all of her games. She'd be vulnerable without them. 

"Both you and I know we can't do that. Not all of them, anyway. Some of them." Rubbing her hand, he continued, "Besides, I have some gloves so your hands won't be any colder than they already are. It would be a shame not to use them." 

"Fine. Let's get out of here." She started off toward the parking lot, Kiryuu following her. 

The motorcycle was the only vehicle left in the lot. Kiryuu helped her on with her jacket, pulling a pair of gloves from his pocket and handing them to her. They were thin leather, the highest quality, of course, and they looked new. Had he bought them for her? It was no matter. She slipped them on easily; they were the perfect size. He started the motorcycle, its rumble filling the quiet air, and she got on. 

It was easy to lose herself in the exhilaration of the ride. She really would have to learn to drive one of these things. The parents wouldn't even notice unless she had to ask for more money, and she knew her account was full. Aside from the occasional trip overseas and periodic shopping extravaganzas, she didn't spend all that much money. 

When he pulled up in front of the house, she noted with distaste that the gates were open. That meant one or both of them were at home. As Kiryuu handed her up from the bike, she asked, "Are you sure you want to come in? Someone's actually home." 

"Will they even notice?" he asked dryly, and then laughed. "Sorry. Your home is so much like mine that I thought-" 

"You thought right. They might not notice." Considering that for a moment, she said, "Unless it's my mother. She'll notice until she realizes she's not twenty anymore." 

"She should meet my father. They might get along." He followed her to the door. 

Once inside, Kohana quickly determined that both of them were home. Her mother's voice came stridently from the study off the large living room, and she could hear her father's murmur underneath it. Paying them no mind, she walked into the kitchen. "Akiko-chan, are you busy?" 

"No, dear. What do you need?" The round face of her maid looked up from the pot she was stirring. 

"Stop it, you know you don't get paid for that. The cook can do it." Kohana did feel a sort of affection for Akiko. After all, she was the one who'd kissed Kohana's scraped knees and showed her how to make flower wreaths when she was little. Akiko obeyed instantly, setting her spoon aside. She'd be at it again in a few seconds. "When's dinner?" 

"Half an hour." 

"I have company, so bring it up to my room when it's ready. And if you could bring us something to drink soon, that would be wonderful." She glanced behind her, and Kiryuu was standing in the doorway. How unsurprising. "What do you want, Kiryuu-sempai?" 

"It doesn't matter." 

"Hot chocolate for me, it's cold outside." Her mother's voice rose to a peak. "How long have they been home?" 

"An hour or so," Akiko replied. She glanced over at Kiryuu and her face became wreathed in smiles. "So nice to see you again, Kiryuu-san. Thank you for the help the other day." 

"It was no trouble," he said, bowing graciously. Damn him, he'd even made friends with her maid already. 

"I hope you've thanked him properly, Kohana," Akiko said sternly, "You always were one to forget your manners." 

Sighing heavily, Kohana began to speak, but Kiryuu overrode her. "She thanked me very nicely, no doubt due to your efforts." 

"All right, Kiryuu-sempai. Don't flirt with her any more than you need to for your survival. She's married." Anything female. Absolutely anything female. At least she wasn't that bad. 

Smiling at her in a way that should have been illegal outside of the bedroom, he asked, "Jealous?" 

"No. Tired of watching you exercise your charm." At least he wasn't actually in the kitchen. She didn't want Akiko getting too used to him, because then there'd be questions when he was gone. 

"It's just the two of you?" Akiko asked. Kohana nodded, and then left the room, pushing Kiryuu aside. Hopefully she could get him upstairs before her mother got angry enough to- 

A door slammed. Her mother had gotten angry enough to leave the study. Brushing past her mother with a breezy, "Hi, mom," Kohana grabbed a hold of Kiryuu and pulled him to the stairs. 

"Kohana, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that her mother was tugging at the low neckline of her grey shirt and watching Kiryuu hungrily. 

Smiling sweetly, Kohana said, "No, mother. You probably won't see him again anyway." 

Her mother smiled just as sweetly, and then said, "By the way, darling, I had to take some money out of your account. You don't mind, do you?" 

"No, I don't mind. I'll just ask Dad for some more." It was always the same old game. And her mother never understood that Kohana always came out richer than before. She started to walk up the stairs, still with Kiryuu's hand in hers. 

She got about halfway up before her mother's voice floated after her. "The results of the last test are in, if you'd like to see them. You understand all of that jargon about 'musculature' and 'deterioration' better than I do, anyway." 

Spine stiffening, Kohana stopped. Kiryuu nearly collided with her, but he managed to sidestep before he did. Kohana turned around, letting go of his hand, and walked back down the stairs. "Give it to me," she said quietly. 

"If you're too busy to introduce me to your young man there, you're too busy to read boring old medical papers. I'm going out. I'll see you... when I see you." Her mother walked into the entryway. 

Kohana waited until her mother had left and then said, "Kiryuu-sempai, go upstairs if you want. My room's on the left, the last door. There's something I have to do." 

"I'll come with you." He walked down the stairs, laying a hand on her shoulder as he reached the bottom. 

"Suit yourself," she said, shrugging off his arm and walking into the study. Once inside the room, she walked past her father to the old adding machine he kept, punched in a few numbers, added a little and then multiplied a little and then tore off the final total. After scribbling a note on it, she dropped it on the desk in front of him. 

He stopped reading the papers he was flipping through, glanced at it and grunted, and then went back to reading. Kohana walked out, satisfied. She'd doubled the maximum her bank allowed her to take out in one day without her written permission and added interest. From a different point of view, her mother had given her eighty thousand yen. Not bad for five minutes' work. 

_I hate them._

"Upstairs," she said, wishing Kiryuu hadn't come. The satisfaction of showing up her mother never lasted; it had paled long ago, leaving only a hollow ache that refused to go away. Though she knew that the doctors hadn't found anything different, she couldn't help but wish, just a little, that she'd never been born.   
  
  
  
Once they were in her sitting room, everything seemed a little bit better. The dark colors were soothing, and the sight of the rather grisly paintings she had done eased her mind. Her rooms were her sanctuary, the place where she could be what she was rather than what others needed to see to give her what she wanted. Perhaps that was why no one stayed very long; every single one of the paintings depicted pain of some kind, whether it was physical or not, and the vases and little baubles that were scattered about were all broken in some way. Hardly anyone ever got the joke-that it was too overdone to be entirely serious. Kiryuu, however, seemed to understand it; he had a small smile on his face, and he didn't seem uneasy in the least. 

Turning on one of the dim lights, she grabbed her portable phone off one of the stacks of dog-eared books and dialed the number for the doctors' office. "Do whatever you like, Kiryuu-sempai. I'm just going to change." 

He nodded, and then the receptionist picked up the phone. Crossing the sitting room, she opened the door into her room and went to the closet, chatting easily with the girl on the other end of the line. If anything, her room was more overdone than the sitting room. It always made her laugh to see it. As she asked for the girl to fax the report again, she grabbed some red silk pajamas and unfastened her skirt. It dropped to the floor and she kicked it aside, unbuttoning her shirt. The receptionist was being stubborn about faxing. 

"Hoshigawa Kohana, I said. Yes. Yes. That's right. No, I'm not-wait a second. Did a man ask you to fax them earlier? Yes, a different number." Warm hands took the shirt and slid it down her arm. She switched hands with the phone, allowing him to pull the shirt off her and then leaned on him as she tugged the waistband of her panties down. He undid her brassiere, pulling it off while she stepped out of her panties. "No. No. No, he didn't have my permission. I know. No, I'm not angry. I know he has them. Yes. Don't worry about it. I know who it is. Just don't do it again. Now, fax my copy again. Thank you. No, I'm not going to make a complaint, but I will if you don't fax it right now. Thank you. Goodbye." 

Hanging up the phone and throwing it on the bed, she grabbed a paintbrush from the nightstand and twisted her hair up into a bun, pushing the brush through it to hold it in place. "Kiryuu-sempai. Do you want something?" 

"I'm in your room and you're naked. I'm sure you can call me Touga." He pulled her to him, his hands sliding down her body and resting at her hips. 

"Touga, then. Touga, what else do you want?" She was too keyed up for his attentions right now. "Because I really need to relax, and you're not helping." 

"I know," he said. "I was just going to say that maybe I should leave. You seem upset." 

"No. I just need-" There was a knock at the sitting room door. 

The door clicked open, and Akiko called out, "Kohana, I've got your drinks and a paper from the doctor." 

"Coming, Akiko-chan." She quickly pulled on the pants as Kiryuu draped the chinese style shirt over her shoulders. Rushing to the door and fumbling with the buttons, she took the paper with a hurried, "Thanks," stuck it between her teeth, and finished buttoning the shirt. She disregarded Akiko's disapproving gaze, and carried her mug and Kiryuu's glass back into the bedroom. The door clicked shut behind her, and she was in darkness. 

Kiryuu turned on the lamp near the door. Handing him the drink, she took the paper out of her mouth and said absently, "You don't have to leave unless you want to. I was just thinking I might like a bath, to relax a bit. It's been a long day." Her eyes scanned the document quickly; as she expected, there was no change. 

_Wait a second-_

"Some things are worth waiting for," he said. "I don't mind. I'd enjoy the chance to examine these paintings." 

Sensitivity increasing? That could be bad. But the dates were... from last year to this year. Not too bad, then. The tests showed that it wasn't increasing very much either. There was a graph... Kiryuu had spoken. "Sorry, what?" 

Instead of answering, he took the paper from her, glancing at it, and then tossing it on the floor. "It doesn't mean anything." 

Of course. He'd seen it earlier today. "I know. What did you say?" 

"I said I'd enjoy the chance to examine the paintings. Have your bath if you want." He smiled, but it wasn't the usual seductive smile. Just a smile. 

"No, I didn't mean that. You can stay and talk to me if you want, keep me company. It's not like I'm going to be shy about it. I've already had sex with you; what do I care if you see me naked?" She paused for a moment, considering, and then added, "You can join me, as long as you promise not to complain about the bubbles." 

Brushing his hair back from his face, he said, "I thought you needed to relax." 

"You'll be a gentleman and let me relax. For a while, anyway." She turned and walked into the bathroom adjoining her suite, Kiryuu following her. After setting the hot chocolate down on the countertop, she started the water, adding a generous amount of vanilla scented bubble bath. It was an American style bath, one with claw feet on it. It wasn't as big as a normal bath, but it would fit two people. She knew that from experience. 

Glancing up into the large mirror as she sipped her hot chocolate, she saw that Kiryuu was right behind her. He placed his glass on the counter, taking hers from her and setting it down as well, and began to undo the buttons of her shirt. Kohana stayed still and let him. Despite her earlier protests, and the fact that she didn't think she would actually relax until she gotten into the tub, she was beginning to feel the first restless stirrings of desire. The silk slid off of her shoulders and puddled around her ankles. 

Hands gliding down to her hips, he pulled the waistband down over the curve of her behind and let the pants fall. Liquid blue eyes locked with hers through the mirror. Kohana smiled, leaned against him, and stretched, letting her hands creep up over his shoulders. Supporting her easily, he stroked her stomach. "I should relax first, or it won't be as much fun..." she said. 

"If that's what you want." He nibbled on the side of her neck. 

"Hmm..." Kohana sighed, and then pulled herself away. "I forgot! Akiko will be bringing up dinner soon anyway." Chuckling, wryly, she said, "It _has_ been a long day. And I'm still angry at you." 

"I haven't seen much evidence of that," he laughed. "But there was a reason for both of my invasions, as you'll see." 

"And why can't you just tell me?" Kohana asked, piqued. 

Pulling her to him again and leaning down to nip at her ear, he said, "Some things have to be seen to be believed. Why do you think I've undressed you twice already?" 

"You're impossible." It was only habit that he was so flattering; she knew that as well as she knew her name. It didn't displease her. It didn't really please her, either. She turned around, intending to check the water in the bath, but he stopped her, pushing her up against the cool marble counter. 

"So are you. Will you tell me now why you bother to go to school at all?" 

"Maybe. Make sure the bath isn't overflowing." Glancing behind her to see whether the cups were in her way, she put her hands flat on the counter and hopped up on it. 

"It's not." Kiryuu moved forward, nudging her legs apart and pushing her back against the mirror so that he could easily keep her where she was, open to his attentions. He began to kiss her neck, and whispered, "Tell me." 

"Everyone I know is there. A lot of people I don't know are there too. I don't need to go places to meet people, I just have to go to school." Why should she change when she didn't have time to waste? She promptly tossed the question away as Kiryuu lightly cupped her breast. His lips made their way down toward it and she arched her back upward to give him better access to it. Tenderly, he licked around the nipple, teasing her, until she sighed and slid her hand into his hair. The moment his tongue touched her nipple was electric; she moaned, twisting sinuously. 

"Kohana! Supper!" 

Sighing, she called out, "Just leave it in the sitting room, Akiko. I'll get it in a minute." 

"Do you need anything else?" Akiko called. Kiryuu chuckled, nibbling lightly at Kohana's nipple. 

"Ah!" she hissed, her hands pulling him closer. Keeping her voice controlled, she called, "No, we're fine. If we need anything, I'll ring you." At that moment, Kiryuu decided to suck strongly on her nipple, pinching the other lightly. Kohana gritted her teeth, grinding the moan that wanted to escape into tiny bits. He was too good at this. 

"All right." There was a distinctly critical tone to Akiko's voice. Oh well. She didn't have to approve, she just had to keep her mouth shut. 

Akiko was gone. Thank god. Kiryuu was driving Kohana insane with the teasing flicks of his tongue, the gentle caresses of his hands, and whenever she tried to reach for the buttons of his uniform, he would tenderly capture her hand and press it back down to the marble countertop. He continued on up to her neck, biting the sweet little spot where her neck and shoulder joined. A shiver of bliss raced through her; her legs wrapped reflexively around his waist and she crushed herself up against him. 

Before she'd recovered from that delight, his hands slid around her, holding the small of her back and sliding underneath to cup her behind. He lifted her easily, still kissing the side of her neck, and carried her over to the bath. Extricating himself from her grasp, he deposited her in the water and turned off the taps. And then walked away. 

"And where are you going?" she asked. Did he think he was just going to leave her after that? 

Pausing for a moment, he glanced over his shoulder at her. "You're relaxing," he pointed out, infuriatingly calmly. Her visible irritation only made him laugh softly before turning to walk out. 

"Bastard!" she hissed, sending a sheet of water flying at him. 

It didn't completely miss him, but only a few droplets caught in his hair and dampened his clothes. He glanced at her once again. "I'm not leaving. You need to be more patient," he said, walking out. She could easily imagine the smug smile he was wearing. 

Irritated, she yanked the paintbrush out of her hair and threw it out the open door, then sank down underneath the bubbles. He obviously thought he had the upper hand. For now, he did. That was going to change. 

A few moments later, he'd returned, bringing a chair and the tray that Akiko had set their food on. Kohana watched him silently as he set the chair by the tub and placed the tray on it, and then unselfconsciously stripped, joining her in the bath. He looked different when his hair was wet and slicked back; older, perhaps, like he'd seen things that no one would believe. It brought to mind what he'd said earlier, about having to see some things before believing them. 

"What's the big secret?" she asked abruptly. "Why did all of the Student Council members look at me like they're condemning me to death? Why did Saionji make such a big fuss about duties, and then refuse to agree with your choice of a successor? You know I noticed the way you all looked at each other, as if there were conversations going on that I couldn't hear, and I didn't like it." 

"You'll understand more tonight. You'd better not have a headache." Pulling her over to him, he settled her on his lap. 

She struggled for a moment, unwilling to accept that. "I'm tired of being patronized and placated. I want to know why you're against the rest of the Student Council. Whatever it is, it's got you worried and it's gone on for a long time. You're only seventeen and you have little worry lines on your face. That's not normal, Kiryuu." 

He stared at her for a moment, and then laughed. "Perceptive. I should have known I wouldn't escape that sharp sight." 

"Tell me. I'm tired of waiting." 

"Get used to not knowing. There are some things I can't explain, and there are some things you need to find out on your own." He pulled her against him, resting his chin on the top of her head. "You did handle the rest of the Council well today. They were very impressed." 

"I know. Arisugawa and Kaoru were easy enough." She frowned. "But Saionji..." 

"He was upset. If he hadn't been impressed with you, he wouldn't have tried to warn you off." His voice was absolutely certain of that. 

All the cryptic statements were infuriating. "What, do you talk to them with telepathy? How in hell do you know for sure? And what is the Student Council mixed up in? I know the main concern here isn't the fall dance. It seems like something dangerous." 

"Does that bother you?" Kiryuu asked, voice so blank and unreadable that Kohana scowled. 

"No." 

"Then stop asking questions. I can promise you that you'll enjoy this game. You just have to know when to get out of it." The finality in his tone was undisputable. This time he really wasn't going to put up with her demands. 

"Fine," she said, grabbing a bowl of half-melted ice cream from the tray. 

"Dessert before dinner?" he asked, amused, and reached for his plate. 

"This is dinner." 

She didn't even manage to finish half the bowl. She just wasn't hungry. 

To tell the truth, she was never hungry. To keep from starving, she'd substituted most of her meals with the diet replacement drinks that Sato-sensei, her doctor, had recommended, and she took a handful of different vitamin supplements every morning and night. Glancing at the cupboard beneath the marble countertop, she tried to remember how many pill bottles there were in there. She couldn't. There were too many, there'd been too many over the years. 

Setting her bowl aside, she asked, "Will we be out late tonight?" 

"Finished already?" he asked, ignoring her question. 

"Yes." Likely they would be out late. Kohana decided to wait while he finished his meal, settling in and allowing her mind to drift. There were too many questions she wanted answered. Too much had gone on. And the bath water was starting to get cold. She reached up with her toes and turned on the hot water for a few moments, batting a few bubbles around until the water was almost too hot. Turning it off, Kohana noticed that Kiryuu was setting aside his plate. The heat of the water was making her feel sleepy. She nestled herself into a better position, laying her head on his chest, and closed her eyes. 

"Are you relaxed now?" he asked softly. 

She smiled. "...nearly asleep." 

The purring amusement in his voice gave her goose bumps. "Open your eyes. We still have things to do tonight." 

"Mmmm... what kind of things?" 

"Good things."   
  
  
  
After a while, she sat up and chuckled. "Narcissist." She would lay a bet that one of the things he'd enjoyed most was hearing her beg for him. Of course, that was why she'd done it. Sex just wasn't as much fun if both parties weren't absolutely, utterly absorbed in it. 

"So are you." He smiled roguishly. "But we can't spend all night admiring ourselves." 

Wrinkling her nose, Kohana slowly pulled off of him, shivering slightly at the loss of contact. She stepped out of the bath and grabbed a robe from the hooks on the door, enjoying the rough terrycloth against her skin. Kiryuu pulled the plug, stepping out as well and catching the robe she tossed to him. After a few moments spent drying off, she grabbed a brush and began to brush her hair, gently working out the tangles. Once her hair was finished, she wrapped a towel around it and swapped her robe for a silk one. Kiryuu followed her into her room, carrying his uniform. 

"Do you have a clock?" he asked, glancing around. 

"It's six-thirty. Are we late?" They were probably going to the forest. But what kind of appointment would be in the forest? 

He dropped the robe on the bed, pulling on his pants. "No, we're a little early. I have something to give you first, though." Kohana helped him on with his shirt, trying not to exhibit any curiosity. He wasn't actually falling for her, was he? 

One look at his face gave her the answer. He wasn't. Heaving a silent sigh of relief, she deadpanned, "How sweet, Kiryuu-sempai. Bringing me presents and everything. Maybe I should give up my lewd and debaucherous ways and settle down with you." 

He coughed, glancing sharply at her. She couldn't help but start to laugh; he looked almost frightened. "Don't ever do that again," he said, shaking his head. "And I thought you were calling me Touga." 

"Maybe. I haven't decided yet." She walked over to the closet, searching for something comfortable and warm to wear. 

"Don't bother. Your uniform will be here soon." Walking toward her, he took her hand in his and reached into his pocket. "Obey the rules of the rose seal and the decrees of the ends of the world. As the future Seitokaicho, you have a double duty; to learn all I have to teach, and to uphold the rules as best as you are able." 

It sounded like ritual. Pulling his hand out of his pocket, Kohana saw that he was holding a silver ring with a pink rose crest much like the school's. She'd seen the same ring on his finger, but thought it just some affectation. He held it in front of her eyes for a moment, watching her examine it, and then slipped it on her finger. The cool metal made her shiver. 

"There's something I have to say before we leave tonight," he continued softly. His fine features were set in serious lines, all vestiges of playfulness or desire gone from them. "Don't rely on anyone but yourself. The other members are useful, at times, but they all have their flaws. And don't trust them. Don't ever turn your back on anyone, in or out of the Council, student, teacher, anyone." He brought her hand up to his lips, gently pressing a kiss on the crest of the ring. "Even me." 

He was utterly serious! What the hell was going on? 

Kohana slowly nodded, unable to think of anything to say. Of course she didn't trust him. Well, she did, to a certain degree. She trusted that he wouldn't turn down sex, and that he'd do whatever it took to get what he wanted. And that he liked having power over people. Those were qualities she herself had. 

The serious look slowly left his face. He let her hand go, smiling at her. "You'll do well." 

"Kohana! There's a package for you!" 

Laughing, he said, "Your uniform. You have just enough time to dress before we have to leave." 

"I see," she said. Crossing over to the door to the sitting room, she stuck her head out. Akiko was there, naturally, and she was carrying two large boxes. There was a look on her face that said she wanted to speak privately, and so Kohana came out and closed the door. 

Akiko frowned gently and said, "Kohana-chan, you've never talked about this boy." 

"Akiko, it's my decision. I'll do what I want." Smiling to take the harsh edge from the words, she took the boxes. "It's all right. You don't need to worry about me." 

Instead of grumbling about parents that didn't care about their children, as she usually did, Akiko shook her head. "At least I know you won't get your heart broken." Looking her in the eyes, Akiko said earnestly, "You're a sweet girl, Kohana-chan, but there's something in you that isn't sweet at all." 

"I know," Kohana murmured, and then grinned. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." She waited until Akiko had left, fingering the ribbons on the boxes uneasily, and then turned back toward her room. 

Carrying the boxes into her room, she wasn't surprised when Kiryuu took them from her. They smelled faintly of roses. He placed them on the bed, and then glanced around the room. "Do you ever open the drapes?" 

"Not really. Why?" 

"Open the first box," he said, and crossed the room to the curtains. Opening them threw her whole black and grey room into sharp detail rather than the gloom she liked best. As well as soothing, the dark colors were flattering to her. Her pale skin and white hair showed up against them like the moon in the midnight sky. 

She decided to ignore the light as best she could, and opened the first box, the one that smelled the most like roses. 

Inside was a huge bouquet of them, in every color she'd ever seen and more. Even the black ones were there, vaguely repellent after what Kiryuu's sister had said to her. 

"Pick your favorite color," he said, "And we'll see if I guessed right." 

She could have chosen the black or the pale green ones, just to throw him off, but instead she decided to be honest. It would be a test of how well he knew her. She held up a red so deep that it was almost black, the color of the blood in the painting across the room. That particular painting was one that she was rather proud of; the contrast between the gold and white angel, the grey world, and the red heart he was holding in his hand was especially pleasing. 

"Open the other box." Kiryuu's voice was nearly smooth, but she thought she heard a faint hint of smugness to it. He'd guessed right. At least, that was her guess. 

She opened the box. He _had_ guessed right. A snow white uniform, much like his own, lay in the box. It was different, however, in that it was accented with the deep burgundy rather than his pure red, and-she picked it up, and smiled-made of silk. He continued, "You should change. We'll be late." 

She undid the tie at the front of her robe. "Grab some panties and a brassiere for me? Top drawer, on the left." Maybe she'd give him a few ideas as to other things she could be wearing. 

She watched out of the corner of her eye as he dug through the drawer, hands whispering through silky bits of lingerie. "And stop trying to frustrate me, or we'll be later." he chuckled when he turned to her, watching her drop the robe on the floor. He handed the delicate underthings to her, and then walked to a large vase with a few dried flowers in it. As she dressed, choosing the pants, he took the flowers out and laid them on a nearby pedestal, then filled it, first with water and then with the roses. 

"I'm ready," she said, smoothing the front of the uniform and making sure the weighted cord hung properly. 

"Then let's go." He looked her over before they walked to the door. "You were meant to wear that uniform." 


	5. Chapter Five: Revelation and Concealment

Somehow everything seemed different at the school when they reached it. The shadows cast by the setting sun seemed menacing, and small noises seemed much louder in the absence of the motorcycle's rumble. They made their way silently to the forest behind the school, Kohana easily picking up on Kiryuu's disinclination to talk. 

When they arrived at the gates, through the long entrance hall, Kiryuu said, "Open them." 

"I can't. I've tried." 

"Try again." He glanced knowingly at her, and then looked straight ahead at the gates again. 

Well, if he wanted to just stand there all night, sure. She walked up and wrapped her fingers around the smooth stone handle of the phoenix-topped door, pulling gently at first. It didn't move, so she pulled harder. Something grated, and the handle moved a bit. For a moment nothing happened. 

_I told him I couldn't—_

A drop of water came out of nowhere and splashed on her ring, splattering her fingers. She jerked back in surprise, shaking her fingers to be rid of the icy coldness. "What the—" 

All of sudden, the roar of gallons and gallons of rushing water shattered the mystical silence of the place. Sluice gates opened, and Kohana and Kiryuu were cut off from the entranceway by torrential walls. How interesting. What the hell was going on? Keeping her face carefully neutral, Kohana watched the proceedings with uncertainty. Was this supposed to happen? 

Mist rose from the water, obscuring the gate. There was a rumbling, grating sound and Kohana stepped back. If this place was going to come crashing down around them, she was getting out first. Kiryuu could get crushed by whatever big rocks sounded like they were avalanching down. But no, he was completely calm when she looked at him. It looked like he hardly knew she was there. 

The mist and the water soon cleared, leaving the path open behind them, and when she looked back at the gate, it had transformed itself into a stone rose, hovering above the open arch. Beyond was a walkway through the misty forest, lined with pedestals around which roses twined. And at the end of the walkway— 

Kiryuu brushed past her, ending her silent staring. Kohana's self possession abruptly reasserted itself—she shook her hand irritably, as if the freezing water that had splashed her fingers was the only thing that had bothered her, and began to walk. She followed Kiryuu to the end of the walkway and up the spiral staircase. It seemed endless, each loop around the central column topped by another. The everlasting walk up the stairs soon began to take its toll on Kohana, but she determinedly trudged on, following Kiryuu's back. He neither spoke nor looked back at her. Near what had to be the top, it began to curve wider, the column growing into a kind of impossible support for—something. Something big, whatever it was. Glancing at Kiryuu gave her no clue. 

It seemed like eons before they reached the top. As Kohana came through the stone archway at the top of the stairs, she saw a large flat area that seemed almost like an arena, the rose crest on the ring she wore duplicated in red stone on the white floor. Over the arena hung an upside down castle, seemingly anchored in the sky, its fairy lights twinkling in every color of the rainbow and flags flying from its heights. Depths, from her point of view, but her point of view didn't appear to make much of a difference at this point. 

Suddenly the absolute unreality hit her all at once, and she began to chuckle softly. 

Kiryuu didn't say anything. He just watched her until her laughter died down. "I don't blame you for not wanting to talk about this. I doubt anyone who hadn't seen it would believe you." Throwing a charming grin at him, Kohana glanced back up at the castle for a moment. It hadn't disappeared, though she privately decided that it would have been purely disturbing if it had. 

He smiled and glanced around, as if he knew that someone should be there. "We must be early. I can answer a few of your questions, if you like." 

Bowing mockingly, Kohana said, "Thank you ever so much. The castle's not real, is it?" 

"I don't know. I've heard that it is, and I've heard that it isn't. I prefer to think of it as a mirage of some sort, but I suspect that it has some small reality." He looked up at it, and his face became sad. "I've heard that the castle holds miracles, eternity, life itself. Everything that glows. One day it will come down, for one person, and grant them the power to have all of these things." 

Grant them the power to have—eternity, miracles, life? 

Kohana's mind reeled in shock, and she spoke before she could stop herself. "You can't be serious." The words fell frostily out of her mouth. "You're talking about magic. A great big castle in the sky I can understand. Projectors. Smoke and mirrors. But miracles? Magic? I don't think so." 

"You'll see soon enough. I believe in it, whatever it is." He smiled and said the words she'd heard Saionji say. "For the revolution of the world." 

"And what's that supposed to mean?" 

"It's what we work toward. One of us, one of the chosen few, will gain this power." He glanced at her, and then said, "Ah, my opponent has arrived. And the Rose Bride. Stand aside, Kohana." 

Kohana glanced behind her and was surprised to see Kaoru walking up, escorting Kiryuu Nanami. The girl was wearing a yellow dress, like a ball dress. This got stranger and stranger by the moment. Walking briskly out of the way, Kohana considered the options. She could be insane. The strain of knowing she was dying by inches could have snapped her mind. But she didn't think so—she could think clearly enough, and she'd heard Saionji speak the same words earlier on, before the strange things had started. 

That left two possibilities. This could be some sort of elaborate joke. It was tempting to believe that, but she doubted that even with Kiryuu's money he could afford to build an enormous castle upside down in the sky, not to mention the unfeasibility and the fact that _someone_ would have noticed. And if someone noticed, she heard about it. 

That left only the last possibility. That she was sane, fully in control of herself, and standing at the top of an endless stairway underneath a castle floating upside-down in the sky. 

She didn't like that possibility much more than the others. 

Kaoru and Kiryuu were facing off, and Nanami walked ceremonially between them, pinning roses to their chests. Kohana idly wondered why as Nanami walked between the two Seitokai members, her hands fluttering up to the level of her breasts. "O rose of the noble castle," she intoned. The sky seemed to grow dark, and Kohana gradually had to look away from the girl because of the bright light that was emanating from her chest. The wind picked up, whipping everything, pulling it towards Nanami. "Power of Dios that sleeps within me, heed your master and come forth!" 

Kiryuu caught his sister, letting her drape gracefully over his arm. Through the lattice of her fingers, Kohana saw something in the light. It looked like—it couldn't be! 

The light disappeared and it was, naturally, a sword hilt. Kiryuu drew the sword out of his sister's chest, held it in the air and cried, "Grant me the power to revolutionize the world!" 

From somewhere, bells tolled. 

A feeling of numbness began to descend over Kohana as she watched Kaoru pull out his sword. Thankfully, it hadn't come from anyone's chest. He waited for Kiryuu to approach him, countering fiercely when he did, and attacked. The duel was equal enough, though they seemed to be fighting in different styles. Kaoru was good, she noted absently, but he didn't have the endurance or the strength to beat Kiryuu. Kiryuu would eventually wear him down. 

Something prickled the hairs on the back of her neck, and an electric bolt of realization shot through her. This was all real. The castle, the sword, the light, even the goddamn stairs—real. 

_All of it's real. _

If I beat them... If I could win... I could live. I don't have to die. 

If I take the power, I don't have to die!   
  
  
  
Practicality had told her that it wasn't a duel to the death, and it ended with the blue rose on Kaoru's chest being cut off. A warning peal sounded with the tolling of the bells; Kiryuu himself had said to trust no one. The truth in that moment had been undeniable. Should she believe him when he talked about miracles, eternity, life itself? 

There was something else here, something she felt she was missing. It had been in the way Arisugawa had smiled, so full of secret sadness. Whatever it was, it was the reason Saionji hadn't wanted her to join the council. And most of all, it was Kiryuu Nanami. There was something about her, the reason she'd changed, some mystery. Kohana suddenly felt sure that she'd known about the illness, and that was the reason why she'd spoken of death and offered her the black rose. 

They all knew too much. Why hadn't she noticed Kiryuu shadowing her? Had he even been shadowing her at all? How had he connected the bits and pieces of puzzles about her so easily, unless he already knew there was some secret there? 

She'd made it hard, if not impossible, for anyone to tell if there was something wrong with her. And if someone found out, she had the migraines to blame. But he hadn't accepted it. Anyone else would have. 

What did the Student Council really want from her? 

She didn't know. But it was so tempting to think that it might be true... She might live. If she could win this game, she might be able to live a normal life, not a pitifully short span of years, wasted and dried up by the time she was twenty. At the pace her life had been going, she was more experienced in many ways than most adults. In bed, definitely. She'd turned her play into an art by the time she was fourteen. Painting, playing tricks on the unsuspecting, gently swaying and twisting the opinions of others around her... everything she did with regularity had been perfected. But not to have to pack a whole lifetime into ten more years at most... 

Kohana had thought she'd accepted the idea that she was going to die. It appeared that she hadn't. 

In any case, there was no way to tell if Kiryuu had lied to her or not—unless he himself told her, that was, and she knew he wouldn't do that. So she had to win the game, however that was done. And when she did she would have her proof. Even if it turned out the castle was full of nothing but hollow lies, it would give her life some meaning besides sex and power, for a while. 

And so when Kiryuu approached her after winning the duel, she smiled at him. "You fight well. I'm being groomed to take your place in this as well?" 

He seemed a little thrown by the way she accepted everything so calmly, but he didn't hesitate to answer her. "Yes." 

"I've never even held a sword. But I'll learn." 

He almost appeared to flinch at this. It could have been her imagination. "I'm sure you'll do well. We'll discuss that with Saionji or Juri tomorrow." Turning, he walked toward the stairs. 

Kohana followed. There was something he didn't want to talk about, she was sure of it, but he wouldn't talk about it to her even if he had wanted to. Maybe if she could find out if he had any close friends—but he didn't, not if he was the person he seemed to be. To people like them, others were only tools to use when needed and ignore the rest of the time. Maybe one friend as close as Sakura was to her, but even that was unlikely. That was better than nothing, though, and if she could get them to open up to her... 

Who would it be? Not Kaoru. He was too young and innocent. It had to be either Juri or Saionji, and from what she knew, Saionji would seem the best choice. He was on the council, a male, and about the right age. Tomorrow she would confirm it by asking Naoko—the girl was a fan of both she and Touga. She would know. 

Organized thoughts and the beginnings of schemes filled her mind until they were in the parking lot. Kiryuu Nanami was nowhere to be seen. Briefly Kohana wondered where she was—didn't she live with Kiryuu? It had certainly seemed that way when the girl had interrupted their afterglow. 

Dismissing it as unimportant, Kohana almost missed Kiryuu's question. "... like to stay at my place tonight?" 

"If it won't put you out, I'd be glad to." For many reasons. 

"Not at all." A car was pulling into the parking lot. Strange; no one should be here at this time. Kiryuu saw it and sped up his pace. 

"What's wrong?" Kohana asked, catching up to him. 

"Nothing," he said. "I'd rather not speak to the Rijichou right now, though." 

The infamous dean of Ohtori Academy. Hardly anyone ever saw the man. It figured that Kiryuu had, though. He seemed to know everyone. 

Ohtori certainly drove a nice car. A convertible. A red convertible, to be precise. It pulled up alongside them and into the spot beside Kiryuu's motorcycle. "Seems like we can't avoid it," Kohana murmured. In truth, she didn't really want to. Any man who had that kind of taste in cars had to be good for something... and the fact that the car screamed of pure sex gave her a pretty good idea of what. 

The door opened, and a tall, long legged man got out. He had the most beautiful milk chocolate skin and tied back silvery hair, though he didn't look to be much more than twenty-seven or eight. That was awfully young to be the Rijichou, wasn't it? In any case, he understood exactly how to flatter himself. Those long legs were encased in tight black pants that made them look even longer, and the unorthodox contrast of the purple tie and the red shirt invited the gaze to crawl up his chest and to his elegantly featured face. 

"Hello, Touga." Oh, he had a beautiful voice. Deep, more of a rumble than a purr. It reminded her of the feeling of raw silk. 

"Rijichou." Kiryuu continued walking up to the motorcycle, and leaned on the seat. Kohana was sure it was by design that the only two places she could stand near Ohtori were blocked off by Kiryuu. She decided that she would stand at the end of the bike. It was further away, but it gave her the best view of Ohtori. 

"I see you've chosen your assistant. Will you introduce us?" Beautiful manners. Along with that beautiful voice and that beautiful body, he was a stunning creature. 

It seemed that a flicker of annoyance passed over Kiryuu's face. "Rijichou, this is Hoshigawa Kohana. I was just going to take her home." 

What would it be like to have both of them at once? Kiryuu didn't seem to like the Rijichou much... but she could dream, couldn't she? 

Ohtori stepped easily past Kiryuu, taking her hand in his. The contrast between their skin colors made her bite her lip. "Wonderful to meet you, Hoshigawa Kohana." He said her name like he was savoring it. Prickles of delight raced up her spine. 

"The same, Rijichou." His sea green eyes pinned hers, and she saw the corner of his mouth quirk up in an inviting smile. No wonder hardly anyone ever saw him. He was probably kept in a cage somewhere to keep him from molesting the entire school populace. Lucky for her, someone had forgotten to lock it tonight. 

"Please, call me Akio. After all, the Rijichou should have a good relationship with the Seitokaicho, don't you agree?" There were layers upon layers of innuendo in his tone, and the soft stroking of his fingers on the back of her hand was driving her insane. He knew it too, the sensuous bastard. If anyone could bring her to orgasm just by talking to her, this man might be able to do it. And wouldn't she love to see if he could. 

"Of course, Akio-san," she purred. "But I'm not the Seitokaicho. Why don't you work on having a good relationship with both of us?" Oh, if only. 

His eyes widened in appreciation of her counter-suggestion, and he laughed. The sound of it made Kohana's fingers momentarily close on his. "I'm sure Touga doesn't want to share any more of you than he has to. I wouldn't." His tone called up images of the two of them locked in a bedroom for days on end, sweat and twisted sheets and all the things they could do to each other while not sharing her with anyone else. "I think he might be jealous of your time." 

Laughing quietly, Kohana leaned slightly toward him, catching a whiff of rose cologne. "Jealousy's not a part of his nature, Akio-san. Besides, why should he be jealous? I'm not his girlfriend. I'm free to spend time where and with whom I choose." 

Ohtori's eyes flicked up, over her shoulder, so Kohana wasn't much surprised when she felt Kiryuu's hands encircle her waist. He stepped up behind her, pulling her back ever so slightly to lean on him. It was almost more than she could take. Both of them needed to have their clothes ripped off, right now. "Speaking of time, Kohana, I think we should be leaving soon. I did make you a promise, remember?" 

The Rijichou answered before she had the chance. "Of course, Touga. I shouldn't waste your time." A slow grin spread over his face, and his eyes moved back down to Kohana. "I'll be seeing more of you now that you're a member of the Seitokai. It's a pity we didn't meet sooner than this—I have the feeling I've been missing out on a lot." He brought her hand up to his mouth and pressed a deliberate kiss on the knuckles. Keeping his eyes on hers, he slowly lapped at the crevice between her fingers before pulling away. "You seem like a very sweet girl, Kohana." 

Kohana could only lick her lips in reply. Kiryuu, however, said, "She is." His hand moved from her waist to her belly, stroking it gently through the silk of her uniform. 

"Soon, then," Ohtori chuckled, and then walked over to his car. As it peeled away, Kohana let herself lean more heavily on Kiryuu. 

"What did you think of him?" Kiryuu asked. 

"I wonder why you don't like him," she said honestly. "He seems—not harmless, but like he only has one thing on his mind. We have that much in common, I suppose." The words made her think. Kiryuu seemed like he only had one thing on his mind most of the time. She knew there was a lot more to him than that. And Ohtori? 

The first chance she got, she was going to sleep with him. Other than that, she didn't know. 

Kiryuu chuckled, though it seemed a bit uneasy. "Let's go." She had a feeling she never would be able to get a straight answer out of him on the subject of Ohtori.   
  
  
  
The Kiryuu mansion seemed almost deserted. There was only one light on, upstairs. Was it his parents, or was it Nanami? No matter. If his parents were anything like hers, she knew how to handle them. 

As they walked inside, a ginger colored cat twined around her legs. Cats were wonderful creatures; they were self-reliant, they were soft and clean, and they were just as selfish as Kohana was. She got along well with them. Picking him up, she nuzzled his fur and set front paws on her shoulder so he would be comfortable in her arms. It appeared that he appreciated that comfort; he began a loud purr, pushing his face into her hair and his cold nose into the side of her neck. She gasped, and then giggled. 

"I see you've met Tanrei." Kiryuu had glanced at her and seen the cat, and he turned to stroke him. It was evident by the look on his face that he enjoyed cats as well. "He seems to have taken to you rather well." 

"His name suits him. Is he your cat?" 

"Yes. A friend of mine gave him to me." His face didn't change, but Kohana got the impression of sadness. This friend must no longer be a friend, and if not for the sadness, she would have bet it wasn't a friend in the first place. So, Kiryuu did have a little more depth of feeling to him than she did. Wonders would never cease. 

"I've always wanted a cat." That was the one hard and fast rule of her house: no pets. She could have anything else she wanted except a cat. She'd tried taking one home once, but her mother had thrown him out into the street. Afterward, she'd given him to Sakura, hoping that her friend could find a home for him. 

He glanced at her face, his eyes inquiring. "You can't have one?" 

"My mother's allergic. I think she wouldn't like them even if she wasn't." Kohana nuzzled Tanrei once again, enjoying the feel of his fur on her face. He reacted ecstatically, rubbing his cheek against her ear. 

"I see." Kiryuu scratched Tanrei under the chin, his fingers grazing her ear. "Do you want anything from the kitchen? The cook probably has something put away for me." 

"I'm fine. A glass of water, maybe." 

It seemed like normality had reasserted itself completely, aside from the fact that she was actually staying over at Kiryuu's house. That, however, seemed almost dreadfully normal after the night she'd had. She followed him into the kitchen, Tanrei's purr and whiskers tickling her ear. After Kiryuu had finished in the kitchen, she followed him upstairs to his room. The light on his answering machine was blinking; he pressed the button, and sat down beside Kohana to pet the cat while declarations of love and adoration poured from the speaker. 

"The hordes sound like they're getting restless without you. Have you been away from them for too long?" she teased. 

Smiling, he stroked Tanrei a little too far, letting his hand run off the cat and onto her arm. "Not yet. When they start to cry, I'll consider coming back." 

"Cruel. How can you do that to people who love you?" Kohana dislodged the cat from her shoulder, setting him on her lap. He settled in and began to knead her leg. 

Unsurprisingly, he changed the subject slightly. "Have you ever been in love?" 

"No." It would never happen. Not even if her life depended on it. "I've never had anything worse than an acute case of lust." 

"Like tonight. When you were talking to Ohtori." A tiny smile curved his lips. "Your whole body was tense, and your eyes seemed to lighten." 

"I'm going to sleep with him." Was she ever. It was only fair, after all, that Ohtori kept the oblique promise he'd made. 

Kiryuu didn't seem surprised at all. "I know. He has that effect on almost everyone." At her speculative glance, he smiled seductively. "He's as good as you are." 

"I'd hate to be disappointed. Ever care to try him again?" Maybe Kiryuu _would_ agree to join she and Ohtori. 

"With you, you mean." Weighing the idea, he finally said, "No. Some things aren't worth the trouble." 

Now, that was out of character. Suspiciously, she asked, "How do you mean?" Kiryuu turning down a night with not one but two fantastic lovers? The world had been turned inside out. Trying to think of a situation where she'd do the same stumped her. 

"It wouldn't mean anything to you. It's personal." He was petting Tanrei again, and that inexplicable sense of sadness was back. It was strange to see—Kohana never allowed herself to feel sad, and from what she knew of Kiryuu, he seemed not to allow it either. 

_What is going on here? It takes a lot for someone like him to even feel sad, let alone show it._

"Were you... Did you love him?" It was impossible, wasn't it? People like them always had a reason not to fall in love. 

He looked at her as if she'd suddenly dropped down out of nowhere, and then burst out laughing. "No. No, I don't think I could ever allow something like that." 

She wanted to ask why not, but decided against it. This was only leading her in circles. "Well, I suppose for tonight I'll have to try my best to make you forget I ever asked about it." Leaning close to him, she ran her finger down the front of his uniform, stopping just above the waistband of his pants. 

He caught her hand easily, sliding closer to her. "And tomorrow night?" 

"Who knows?"   
  
  
  
As she lay quiet, letting the afterglow fade, she felt Kiryuu shift restlessly. Her cigarettes were in her jacket, on the floor in the sitting room. It was too much effort to get them. There was definitely more to Kiryuu than met the eye—at first glance, he was a perfect gentleman. Second glance showed that he had an appetite for sex as voracious as hers, and a matching appetite for power and manipulation. But that sadness bothered her—it shouldn't have been there. It felt wrong. What in the world it mean? Was it a result of different experiences? She had to pinpoint exactly where his personality differed from what she expected it to be or else she'd make mistakes in using him. It would take time, but she knew how to distract him for long enough. Letting her voice go soft and almost vulnerable, she said, "Touga..." 

"Yes?" he asked. His guard was up. But he had a weakness for women in general, and if he was anything like she was, he was comfortable around her specifically. Now was the time to exploit that, and if she did it right, he would never know. 

She rolled over, lying with her back to him. The silk sheets whispered around her. "Have you ever wondered what it's like to be in love?" 

He laughed softly, after a long pause. "Strange question for you to ask." 

"I can be curious, can't I? It's just one of the things I'll only ever be curious about." This was going to take some delicacy, and something real would have to be shown. No lie ever had the same feel as the truth. 

"And why is that?" He sounded mildly curious. Good. Now came the bait. 

With it came real, actual emotion. The logical side of her mind was suppressed; real feeling came spilling into her voice, tightly reined in. "You know why." 

"No. Tell me." Now he was trying to play with her, trying to get her to say the words out loud. 

A tear rolled down her face. Another followed it. She waited just long enough, and then said, "Forget it. Never mind." Her voice wasn't tear fogged. Just misted. 

She felt the bed shift and the sheets rustled as he sat up. That had certainly gotten his attention. "What's the matter?" he asked softly. Now he would be hoping she would confide in him, giving him a better handle on her mind and her objectives. 

"Nothing." She curled herself into a ball. 

"Kohana, don't. It'll help to talk about it." He stroked her cheek gently, wiping away one of her tears, but, of course, making no mention of it. "I'm listening, if you want to talk." 

She forced a laugh after a long pause. It came out exactly the way she wanted it; slightly bitter and full of pathetic bravery. "We act so tough all the time, don't we? Nothing ever bothers us. Never let anyone see us hurt, because they'll use it against us. But we aren't like that inside, deep down, where no one knows about it." She sighed, hugging the sheets to her. "I've just had a weird day." 

He didn't respond for a long time, so long that she thought he might not after all. Had she misjudged it? 

The bed shifted again, and then his arms were around her. They lay quiet for a while, Kohana wondering what more she could do to convince him to take the 'opportunity' she'd offered him, but just as she was about to say something more he began to speak. "I didn't know I was in love for a long time. I thought it was just the challenge of a girl who was different, who didn't fall for me instantly. 

"And when I knew it, it was horrible. She didn't trust or like me. I tried harder. If she'd believed me, I know it could have been wonderful. The best feeling in the world. I started to think that maybe, if I could just let go for a while, really try to be what she wanted in a lover, that things might turn out all right for us. 

"But something happened. There never was any 'us'. She disappeared." His laugh sounded bitter, as hers had. "It's the strangest thing. I can't remember her name at all, no matter how hard I try." 

That was more than she'd hoped for. It even seemed like he might tell her more if she said the right things, acted the right way. "She must have been a very special person," Kohana whispered, carefully concealing the triumph she felt. This little feint had offered up a bonus. 

"I don't remember much about her. What I do remember was her nobility. In that, she was truly unique." She could almost feel him wavering, hesitating. He almost trusted her... "Tell me why, Kohana. Why now? Why ask me?" 

This one was tricky. She could only hope she didn't screw it up. "Do you know, I've never even had a crush on someone? I've never even had that small taste of it, and… you understand why I'm asking. You said you chose me because I was like you, and I'm starting to believe it, so… maybe, if you knew what it was like, it might be close to what I would feel." 

Silence ruled the dark room for a few moments. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. "Just because you're sick doesn't mean you won't find love." 

"If you were dying, would you let yourself care about anyone?" Her voice managed to put forth the idea that while she implied she wouldn't, she desperately wanted to. "You had _her_, and you have the rest of your life to love whoever you want. There's a reason I have nothing, not even a goldfish." 

He pulled her closer to him, giving her a comforting squeeze. What she'd said edged on her real feelings enough that she was actually upset. "It doesn't have to be that way," he murmured. 

"Yes, it does." A surge of mixed emotions filled her. On one hand, she was still upset. All of the emotions she'd shown him were real, to a certain degree, and she didn't often let them out to play. On the other hand... she had him. He'd spend part of his time and effort trying to make her fall in love with him now. The thought was gratifying. She'd won this round. "There's no other way," she said softly, her tone hinting at sadness. 

When he kissed the back of her neck, she shivered. Kiryuu's mistake had been underestimating the very abilities he had chosen her for. It was understandable, really; in his place, she would have done the same. After all, no one was as good as she was. 


	6. Chapter Six: Awakenings

Waking up was a languorous process, not to be interrupted by anything. Kohana soon remembered where she was, whose bed she was in, and it disrupted that process. Kiryuu was gone. She hadn't overslept, had she? 

Listening for any sound, she heard soft murmurs coming from the sitting room. Kiryuu's purring voice sounded strangely less seductive than usual. She couldn't quite make out the words, though, so she crept from the bed as silently as she could. As she drew nearer the door to the sitting room, she began to make out pieces of the conversation. 

"...I said, everything is well in hand." A pause. "Last night was quite trying for her. If nothing else, she deserves a period of rest." Another silence. He was talking about her. Who was he talking to? "Are you certain of that?" 

A phone conversation, then. With Arisugawa, or Saionji? 

"I think not." Another pause, longer this time. "No. I won't be a part of it." 

_Won't be a part of what? Come on, Kiryuu, let down your guard for once!_

"I know, but the others won't approve either. We should take this slowly. We have the time, and it will take time to turn out a perfect replacement." 

So they were molding her, shaping her into—what? What did the perfect Seitokaicho need to be? Manipulative, but she was already that. A swordsman—she would work on that as hard as she'd ever worked on anything. Intelligent, but that came naturally. What more was needed? 

"She's here now. You didn't think I would leave her alone, did you?" So he'd planned on taking her home with him all along, either that or staying at her place. From his point of view, it made sense. Naturally, that would have fostered trust—if she'd been anyone else. He'd probably known that, however... so there was another reason. Sex, yes, but that didn't require her to stay all night. 

Could he have hoped that she would confide in him a little more, as she had? If so, she'd sort of played into his hands, but she was prepared against it now. And he'd played into hers as well. A draw, then. 

Kiryuu's voice suddenly changed, became edged with anger. "I know that. Don't push me, or I might just forget it." 

All right, that was interesting. But it was time to back away, before Kiryuu hung up the phone. She inched back to the bed and crawled in. What was it that Kiryuu was so angry about? Listening to the soft murmur that she couldn't make anything out of, she decided that she'd have to keep an eye out for anyone who might know. She really needed to talk to Naoko and see if her guess was right and Saionji might be a friend of his. 

In a few moments, she was almost asleep again. The warm, fuzzy space between sleep and wakefulness soothed her troubled mind, and she was considering skipping the morning when she felt a weight on the bed beside her. Kiryuu, of course. 

He sat for a few moments, not moving. What was he doing? 

She felt him lift a lock of her hair, and then his finger stroked along her cheekbone. His nail bit slightly in, scraping in a way that would have given her the shivers if she hadn't been pretending to be asleep. 

She concentrated on breathing slowly and evenly. 

"Kohana. It's morning." 

Shifting, she frowned a little. She didn't really want to get up anymore. 

"Not a morning person? I'd prefer to sleep in too, but we have things to do today." 

A pleading little moan escaped her, and she snuggled further into the warm covers. 

Laughing quietly, she heard a rustle of material, and then felt him draw the sheet down over her shoulder. She made a half-hearted attempt to pull it back, but then his weight was stretched out alongside her and he was kissing her shoulder lightly. As he mouthed his way down to the side of her neck, she stretched out languidly, thinking that this wasn't such a bad way to be woken. The blankets were pulled open for a moment, sending a wash of cool air in that made her shiver, but soon his warm body was beside her. He continued his attention to her neck, adding the delicate scrape of his fingernails along her side. Sighing happily, she pressed herself up against him, enjoying the warmth and the attention. 

As her head gradually cleared, she heard him ask, "Are you awake yet?" His voice was thick with passion. 

"Not any more," she muttered, dragging the blankets up around them. 

Laughing, he pushed her up into a sitting position. "We need to shower. It's time to get up." 

She wrinkled her nose in distaste, but cracked an eye open. "I'm up. Sort of." He was wearing a broad grin. Slowly she pulled herself off of him and unsteadily stood at the edge of the bed. He, too, got up, walking toward the bathroom. 

At the door, he paused. "Would you like to shower alone, or do you want me to join you?" 

Stumbling, she walked over to the bathroom. "Join me if you like," she muttered, and stifled a yawn. 

"Definitely not a morning person," he said mockingly. 

Her only response was a growl. Mornings made her sick. Glancing in the mirror didn't make things any better; her lips had that swollen 'I just got the fuck of my life and this is proof' look to them and her hair was a wild tangle. 

Kiryuu was right behind her, looking sleepy and smug. She took some comfort from the fact that his hair was mussed and his lips were swollen too. 

He was very good while in the shower, not teasing her any more than she could handle, and 'helping' her wash spots she'd 'missed'. Naturally, she was busy doing the same. By the time they got out, she was almost fully awake, and almost ready to take him back to bed. After she'd dried and dressed, she felt human again. A frustrated, lust-filled human, but human nonetheless. They went downstairs so that he could get something to eat while she had her morning coffee. 

"You should keep some clothes over here. I have the feeling this is going to happen again," he said as they walked out to the motorcycle. 

"Am I moving in with you now?" she asked tartly. 

"What makes you think that?" He smiled at her and pulled on his helmet. "Put your gloves on." 

Grumbling, she obeyed. Her lips felt tender. And they were already late for school. Couldn't they just have skipped?   
Once at school, Kiryuu escorted her to her first class, where he spoke to the teacher about her 'Seitokai duties'. Watanabe understood, of course, and he would be glad to give assignments to her through Sakura. Kohana gazed uninterestedly around the room, giving Sakura a little smile, and then agreed to see Watanabe if she was having any problems, especially with all of her new duties to consider. 

The students in the room stared at her, full of awe and envy. 

It went exactly the same as she visited the rest of her teachers. Kiryuu spoke with them for a while, arranging it so that she didn't actually have to show up for classes while the other students gaped at her new uniform. Kiryuu seemed to have her schedule memorized; he didn't once ask which teacher she had for any of her classes. This irked her just a little. Of course, he'd been studying her for a while to see if she'd be a good assistant to him, but did he really have to memorize all of her teachers? 

After they were finished, standing outside the last classroom, he turned to her and asked, "Fencing or kendo?" His voice echoed slightly in the empty hall. 

"What was the style you used?" she asked. This was something she'd been wondering about. 

One of the scarlet brows rose, as if he was surprised. "Kendo." 

Giving him a derisive little smile, she said, "Not everyone cares enough to find out, Kiryuu." 

"I thought you were calling me Touga." He chuckled. 

"Maybe." She considered the options. She hadn't been to see Naoko yet, and Touga had said that Saionji was going to teach her one of the styles. "Who teaches fencing?" 

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Juri." That must have seemed like a sort of insult. How upsetting. Kiryuu waited for her to reply, and then continued, "You haven't paid much attention to the school's sword clubs, have you?" 

"I never had reason to, before." Kohana would have scowled at her bad luck, but she carefully kept her face in the neutral smirk she was wearing. She'd have to take a gamble—that Saionji would be whatever passed for one of Kiryuu's friends. She began to walk in the direction of the kendo hall, letting Kiryuu catch up to her. 

"The fencing hall is that way," he said, pointing. 

She smiled sweetly at him. "I'm not taking fencing." 

Laughing, he said, "Morning truly doesn't agree with you." 

The kendo hall wasn't too far away. When they got there, Saionji was practicing, thin beams of sunlight falling in stripes over him, his bare feet soundless on the polished wooden floor and his practice sword moving easily through various strikes. Kiryuu watched him for a few moments, silent. As for Kohana, she was watching him too, admiring the curve of his throat, the green curls pulled back into a ponytail high on his head, and his bright purple eyes. Every strike was precise, no wasted movement. This style had its grace, she supposed, but that wasn't why she wanted to take it. Saionji was Kiryuu's possible confidant. And he was a fine specimen of seventeen-year-old male. Perhaps he'd be interested in a little more than teaching her the sword. 

As he finished, he turned to Kiryuu. "Seitokaicho." 

"Fukukaicho." 

"I see you've brought your plaything. Is she here to watch us duel?" He didn't even look at her. Oh, she was going to love having him beg for her. 

Before Kiryuu could answer, she said, "Saionji-sempai, I've come to ask if you'll teach me kendo." 

Saionji slowly looked at her, his eyes skimming her body, and then looked away, waiting for an answer from Kiryuu. 

If possible, he was more infuriating than Kiryuu could be. 

"She is here to learn," Kiryuu said, his voice more amused than it had a right to be. 

"Why should I care? Take her to Juri." Saionji turned away, and began to practice again. 

"Charming fellow," Kohana muttered. 

Kiryuu just laughed. "I'll talk to him." He glanced back at Saionji. "Fukukaicho." 

"Yes?" Saionji sounded almost bored, but his voice was tinged with annoyance. He continued to practice. 

"It's your duty to teach her." 

"Go to Juri. She can learn to fence. It only becomes my duty if there is no one else." His arms came down in a particularly vicious strike, and then he paused. Glancing back at Kiryuu, he said, "Take your toy someplace else. I want no part of this." 

Kiryuu sighed, glancing at Kohana. "You refuse your duty?" 

"If it comes to that, I do. Teach her yourself. You seem to have no problems teaching her other things." He walked over to one of the bins and dropped his practice sword. Without turning around to face them, he said, "I have no use for a student whose mind and body are rotting around her." 

That was more than enough of that. Kohana scowled and said, "You obviously have no use for common courtesy either. If your manners are any indication of your teaching, perhaps I'd be better off learning the sword on my own." 

"Someone like you doesn't deserve courtesy. If you're done here, you might as well leave. I don't care whether you ever learn to swordfight or not—it's not my problem." Saionji threw a disdainful glance over his shoulder at them, obviously expecting them to leave. 

As Kohana started forward, she felt Kiryuu lay a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps it would be best if Juri taught you. I regret that I can't spare the time to do it myself, but—" 

"I'm equally sorry, Kiryuu-sempai. I might have accepted you as a teacher, but since you don't have the time, I'm afraid I'll have to suffer Saionji-sempai's teaching instead." Kohana smiled at Kiryuu, and then shrugged off his hand and walked over to where Saionji was standing. "It's your problem now." 

Saionji glanced at her, sullen anger in his eyes, and said, "Juri or even Miki can teach you. You may leave." 

"Neither of them can teach me if I won't learn from them. I want to learn kendo—I don't want to learn to dance and call it sword fighting." Kohana smirked derisively. Miki hadn't made that bad a showing at the duel—graceful and precise, something she admired—but she knew well that everyone who loved something, no matter how open-minded they tried to be, felt an evil little sense of glee when the object of their love was compared favorably to a rival. And she didn't happen to think that Saionji was particularly open-minded. 

True, his eyes softened a bit and the anger died back, but he snapped, "It's rather hypocritical of you to reprimand others for having bad manners, isn't it? You shouldn't speak that way of your senior members' sword style." 

"Everyone makes mistakes," Kohana answered smoothly, not a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "I must say, though, I was impressed by the strength in Kiryuu-sempai's style. The winner of the duel was clear from the beginning. I decided then that I'd like to learn kendo—fencing is pretty, but too delicate. It doesn't have the power that kendo has." 

"Kendo is a very ancient and noble school of sword fighting. It takes talent and dedication far beyond that which most people are willing to give. To learn it, you must be willing to give up many hours of your time to training." Saionji's eyes weren't really looking at her anymore—he was looking with fondness on his training. Obviously he had dedicated himself to kendo above all else. Suddenly, he seemed to realize whom he was speaking to, and immediately withdrew. "I doubt you have the self-control for it, and you certainly don't have the physical strength. Whatever muscle you might have is of no use when sword fighting." He sneered, looking her over once again, and it was clear what he was referring to. 

All Kohana could do was stare at him for a moment, utterly stunned. No one spoke to her that way! Behind her, she heard Touga say, "Saionji, if you—" 

The sharp crack of her open palm hitting Saionji's cheek cut him off. "What would you know about it?" Kohana said icily. "You don't know anything about me besides what you've been told. If you want the truth, I don't especially like you either, but I came here because I wanted to learn the sword style that I admired from someone who was good at it. If you don't appreciate that compliment, you can ignore it and politely tell me that you're not taking on any more students, but don't insult me to my face and expect me to pretend that I don't hear it." 

"What I don't appreciate is being forced to agree to something I don't want to do," Saionji growled in reply, rubbing his injured cheek. "If you want an apology for the insult, look somewhere else. I don't see how taking you on as a student will benefit either of us." 

"This is your own fault, Saionji," Touga said quietly. "Your stubbornness has gotten the better of you once again. I would advise that you take her on, if only because accepting a female student will increase the respect of the other students, not to mention the level of dedication if you should allow her to join the kendo club. You can no longer refuse—accept with some dignity." He stepped forward, a cold warning in his eyes. 

Saionji rounded angrily on Touga, glaring at him with poisonous anger, but he finally nodded. "All right. If she can meet my standards, she can stay. But I will expect her to show that she does have self-control when it comes to practicing on her own and showing up for lessons." 

Touga did not reply. Instead, he gestured to Kohana. Saionji glanced down at her then, obviously not intending to repeat himself, and waited for her answer. 

"Any insult you may have given me is now forgotten," Kohana said frostily. "I'll leave you to judge for yourself whether I have the dedication and talent needed to succeed." 

Eyeing her warily, Saionji grudgingly nodded his head. "Fine." He picked a practice sword from one of the bins and handed it to her. Glancing sharply at Kiryuu, he said, "You can leave now, Touga. You have what you want." 

"Kyouichi—" A strange expression crossed Touga's face, as if there were many things he could have said. Without saying any of them, he turned and walked out of the hall. 

"First, we will work on stance." Saionji walked over to her, adjusting the way she was standing, roughly kicking her feet further apart and positioning her hands on the grip of the practice sword.   
Lessons with Saionji were not by any means easy. He demanded nothing less than perfection, and he swiftly grew angry at any sign of weakness on her part. Kohana did her best, absolutely determined to become a capable duelist in the shortest amount of time possible, but the only regular exercise she'd gotten before was sex, and he rubbed her face in every flaw. 

They did break for lunch, and she was glad of the rest. She was worn out already from all of the exercises he had put her through, and her uniform was sticking to her sweaty body. Saionji's snarling at her every time she made a mistake hadn't improved her mood, and though she decided that she disliked him, she became even more set on making him her pet. It would only be fitting that the arrogant smirk her wore when he watched her change to the utter adoration she knew she could evoke in the right position. 

At lunch, she joined Sakura and Ichida, sweaty and messy, perturbed. Her lips were still the slightest bit swollen, and they were tender. It was as if Kiryuu had marked her. The thought put a scowl on her face as she sat down, keeping her eye out for Naoko. It wasn't any of Kiryuu's business to mark her as his; could what Ohtori had said be true? 

"Someone looks unhappy," Sakura said, a slight jolt in her train of thought. "Was he a waste of time?" 

"Who?" she asked absently. 

"Whoever it was. Was it the Seitokaicho?" Sakura asked, flipping her pale blonde curls over her shoulder. 

"Saionji." At Sakura's look of shock, Kohana realized that they weren't exactly talking about the same thing. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I've been with Saionji all morning, learning kendo." 

"Huh? You've been learning how to swordfight instead of—never mind. It's a requirement, isn't it?" Sakura's eyes traveled over her, dismayed at her state. Kohana decided that she should probably clean herself up a bit. 

"You could say that." Thinking quickly, Kohana added, "It's kind of a mark of dignity, like we have respect for old traditions. It's not officially a requirement." Tugging open the throat of her uniform, she sighed and fanned her throat with her hand. "And it's made me all sweaty. I need a bath." 

"You should go easier on yourself. After all, it's not like you have to be an expert," Ichida put in. How little he knew. 

Kohana smiled, stretching out on the grass. "I want to learn. I never thought I'd enjoy being on the Student Council, but it's like it was meant for me." She caught sight of Naoko, walking nearby. "Naoko! Over here!" she called. 

The girl glanced around, her face reflecting happiness at being called over once she saw that it was Kohana who'd called her. She trotted over, her honey colored hair tossing in its two pigtails. She really did remind one of a cute little puppy, always happy and eager to please. "Hi, Kohana! That uniform really looks good on you." 

"Thank you." Kohana inclined her head graciously, gesturing to a spot near her. "Are you busy?" 

"No, not at all." Of course not. They never were when she wanted them. "You've got to tell me if this rumor I heard is true..." 

"What rumor is that?" Amused, Kohana wondered exactly how many rumors she and Kiryuu had started. 

"I heard that Touga-sama's been ignoring everyone else for you. Some of the girls who have his cell phone number say it's been turned off ever since he met you, and everyone's been wondering whether you two are going out." She made a face. "He won't give anyone a straight answer about it." 

Kohana laughed, waving her hand in dismissal. "We've been busy with Seitokai business, mostly. I promise you, we're not going out. I haven't even seen him since he spoke to my teachers for me this morning." 

"Isn't he meeting you for lunch again?" Naoko didn't bother to hide her envious look. 

"You saw that, huh? Well, we were just discussing the advantages of being a Council member. That was actually when he convinced me to join." Strangely enough, it was the truth. Naoko wouldn't think of it that way, of course, but it was still the truth. In any case, she wasn't necessarily trying to escape the rumor mill—they could think what they liked about whatever 'relationship' was going on. 

"Ah, I see." Naoko raised an eyebrow, playfully suspicious, but didn't comment further. 

Choosing her words for impact, she said, "Naoko, how could we be going out? I know that he likes to flirt and that he's the Seitokaicho. Other than that, I don't know anything, not where he lives, whether he has any interests besides flirting, who his friends are—" 

"You don't even know that?" Naoko's tone was sharp with amazement. "He's been best friends with Saionji-sama since they were young. Haven't you ever seen the crowd in front of the kendo hall?" 

"Yes—" 

"They fight duels every so often. Touga looks wonderful with his hair tied back and his keikogi open down the front..." The girl trailed off into a dreamy little sigh. 

"He knows kendo?" Kohana asked blankly. Sakura glanced at her, eyes full of amusement. She would have to explain later that she didn't want people thinking she was very close to Kiryuu. It would add to the confusion for people to hear all of these contradicting rumors. 

"Oh, you're impossible, Kohana. You've got to come and see them sometime. They're awesome!" She clapped her hands together, eyes alight with memory. 

Kohana shrugged. "Maybe I'll see them sometime. Saionji's teaching me." 

Glancing at her with surprise, Naoko said, "Really? I didn't think you'd go in for something so hard, Kohana. Last I heard you were concentrating on painting." She shook her head. "You're so lucky, to get to be Touga-sama's assistant. If you work at it, you'll be the new Seitokaicho. Keep me in mind when you are." She giggled, a girlishly cute sound. It grated on Kohana's nerves now that she had no further use for the girl. 

"I will." She stretched out and leaned back on the cool grass, savoring the tickle against her skin. Naoko began to converse animatedly with Sakura and Ichida, happy to be included in their little group for a while. Kohana's eyes drifted closed. It felt so good to be in the warm sunlight and the cool breeze after such a long practice session. Sakura made some remark about Kohana being tired after practice to explain away the languor she showed. That was fine with her. The leaves rustling in the breeze and the babble of conversations around them were so soothing... 

The next thing she remembered was a light touch on her arm. "I hate to wake her but..." 

Oh, she remembered that raw silk voice. Yes indeed. She opened her eyes, instantly awake and very interested. 

He was seated on the grass beside her. "Hoshigawa Kohana-san. I felt that I had to see the student that the Seitokai members speak so highly of." His presence was completely different than it had been the night before. Now he was almost unassuming, though no one who looked like that could ever be completely unobtrusive. It put her guard up; Ohtori too was more than he showed, as she had suspected. "I'm Ohtori Akio." 

"It's good to finally meet you, Rijichou," she said, taking her cue from him. "I'm glad that the Student Council has seen fit to include me, and I promise to try to keep the high standards they've set." 

"So serious," he laughed. "You don't look like a serious person." There was no hint of the sensual man she'd seen last night. A dangerous person, then. Someone who could change their demeanor so easily was always dangerous. 

"Some things are worth being serious about." She smiled at him, glad that it came naturally. 

"She's just tired, Rijichou. Saionji's been teaching her kendo, and he's been awfully hard on her. You should have seen the mess she was when she came out for lunch. It was like someone had made her run laps around the school all morning," Sakura laughed. "When she's not so tired, she'll be her usual self." 

Apparently he'd already put Sakura, Naoko, and Ichida well at ease. That distantly disturbed her, but she shrugged it off. They could take care of themselves. 

White teeth glinted against milk chocolate skin as he smiled at Sakura. "I'll have to speak to him about that. We don't want the Seitokaicho's assistant too worn out to do her duty." 

Kohana sat up, irritated at the suggestion and masking it behind her usual poise. "No, please don't. I'm fine. Once I get used to the pace, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it better." 

Ohtori smiled at her, and she caught a glimpse of the seductiveness he'd shown last night. Only a glimpse, though. "I'm glad to hear it. I was hoping you would have the time to discuss some business with me, but if you're so busy, I'll wait. It's not urgent." 

"I would be glad to speak to you now, though I don't want to be late for practice." If she left it up to him, would he settle for a quick encounter? She thought not. 

Laughing, Ohtori shook his head. "Another time would be best. I'm afraid I have plans for a rather lengthy discussion with you." He stood gracefully and nodded to them. "I'll let you get back to your lunch, Hoshigawa-san." 

Rather lengthy indeed... Hopefully a few days long. "I hope to see you soon, Rijichou." 

"Please, call me Akio. There's no need for formality when we'll be working so closely." 

"All right, Akio-san." The man was a master of innocent sounding innuendo. Forget that, he was just a master of innuendo. The most innocent words could be turned into an erotic suggestion in his voice. As he walked off, Kohana watched him, wondering if he'd let his disguise slip on purpose or whether it had been an accident he'd taken advantage of. 

"Wow..." Naoko breathed as soon as he was out of sight around the corner of a building. 

Sakura was no less impressed, but she hid it better. "What a nice guy he is. He talked to us for a while before you woke up, Kohana. What do you think he wants to talk to you about?" 

"I have no idea," Kohana said. Suddenly, she laughed. "If I'd known that being on the Student Council meant you were surrounded by gorgeous guys all the time, I would've been begging to join." 

"You're so lucky," Naoko said. 

Ichida just grunted, obviously jealous that his girlfriend was so impressed by another guy. 

The conversation soon turned back to other things, of which Kohana was glad. She'd been paying too little attention to the gossip lately; it was good to keep her finger on the pulse of daily school life, especially now that she was in the Council. You never knew what might come in handy. The other members of her court, sensing that she was now in a better mood, began to approach in hesitant trickles. 

"Are you sure? I thought it was Matsuo that had dumped him… Well, she said it was because he ignored her all the time, but I don't know. He seemed pretty attentive to me." A wry grin. "I guess these things happen. Maybe I should ask her about it." 

"Oh, you shouldn't have! I didn't think you even knew about that!" A pause. "Chocolate is my one vice. I don't even know how I stay thin, because I eat it all the time. Did your mom make this?" Another pause. "It's so good… it's a birthday cake, isn't it?" Another pause. "I knew it! I knew I forgot something! Well… here, let me write it down, and I'll remember next year. For now, I'm buying lunch—" Another pause. "Oh, go on. Get whatever you like. I can't believe it—I hate it when I miss birthdays, and I have such a horrible time remembering…" 

"Really? She said that? Wow. I don't think I've ever been _that_ angry. Well, maybe once or twice, but I wouldn't say _that_, not to my best friend, right Sakura?" Turn to glance at Sakura, laughing. 

"Oh, no. Are you sure it was her? That's really low." Glance irritably at Ichida. "You just be quiet. You don't know anything about it. How could you know what it feels like to have the person you love stolen right out from under your nose?" Turn back to her admirer. "I'll see what I can do. Hey, it's all right. Don't cry—here. Napkins are too rough for that." Wipe tears from her admirer's face with her handkerchief. "It'll be all right. I know. I'll try and find out what happened, but for now, why don't you go and wash your face? I'll be right here when you get back." 

"I know. I hate seeing things like that happen—Usagi's such a nice girl, and Youji was kind of a jerk. I'll see if I can talk some sense into Natsuki, but I almost hope that Usagi doesn't get back together with him. He really didn't appreciate her." 

"That was a really despicable thing to do. I would have been glad you'd gotten together with someone if you hadn't stolen him away, but poor Usagi's in such a state…" Pause, listening. "I do know how it is. But as much as you like him, think about it—he cheated on her so easily for you, so what's he going to do when someone else decides they want him?" 

"Oh, please—the Seitokaicho was just asking me whether I wanted to be on the Council. I wouldn't even call it a date." Pause, laughing. "No way! If he wants to talk to me, he'll come to see _me_. I don't even have his phone number or anything. Honestly, you people get so excited over the smallest things…" A pause. "No, I don't think so. You know me—I don't want a boyfriend. I'd rather be picky and single than dating and unhappy. I doubt I'll ever fall in love with anyone." 

It was reassuring to know that even though she'd just had her world turned upside down, there were some things that would always be the same. 


End file.
